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CIHM/ICMH 

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Series. 


C  HM/ICMH 
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microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions 


Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


1980 


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The  original  copy  was  borrowed  from,  and 
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NationrI  Library  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
g6n6rosit6  de  I'^tablissement  prdteur 
suivant  : 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


Maps  or  plates  too  large  to  be  entirely  included 
in  o.^e  exposure  are  filmed  beginning  in  the 
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bottom,  as  many  frames  as  required.  The 
following  diagrams  illustrate  the  method: 


Les  cartes  ou  les  planches  trop  grandes  pour  dtre 
reproduites  en  un  seul  clichd  sont  filmdes  d 
partir  de  Tangle  supdrieure  gauche,  de  gauche  d 
droite  et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Le  diagramme  suivant 
illustre  la  mdthode  : 


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5 

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.///. 


The  FARM'S  Little  People 


Sequel  to ''On  Grandfather'' s  Farm'''' 


BY 


ANNIE  HOWELLS  FRECHETTE 


PHILADELPHIA 

AMERICAN  BAPTLST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 
1420  Chestnut  Street 


rra^cAie.f'i'e  .  l-i  T.  H 


Copyright  1897  by  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society 


ffrom  tbe  Society's  own  fivcee 


^0  tbe  ftlcmorfi 

Of  my  dear  father  and  sister  Victoria 

To  my  cherished  sister  Aurelia 

The  one  left  of  the  loving  three  tvho  made 

us  so  happy  on  "-Grandfather's  Farm" 


TY 
H( 
AF 
TY 


CONTENTS 


The  Ram-cat's  Kitthns 7 

Hollyhock  Ladies 39 

Are  There  Fairies? 61 

the  party 85 


111! 


THE  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


■.  .1: 


-„ — 9 


<*>   <e 


^i 


A\ 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


THE  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


HAT  do  you  s'pose  that  noise 
upstairs   is,    Sister?"  and 
Brother's    eyes   opened  wide 
and  his  yellow  hair  did  its  best 
to  stand  on  end. 
"  It  sounds  like  something  scratch- 
ing," answered  Sister,  with  her  head 
turned  to  listen  toward  the  loft. 

'  *  Do  you  think  it  is  a  panther  ?  "  in  an 
awful  whisper. 

*'  No,  I  don't.  In  the  first  place  there 
are  no  panthers  on  grandfather's  farm, 
and  in  the  second  place,  if  it  was  a  pan- 
ther it  would  have  eaten  Randolph  and 
Beverly  last  night,  and  I've  seen  them 
going  to  the  field  this  morning,  so  they 

9 


lO 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


are  not  eaten.  And  besides,  Brother, 
you  are  too  big  a  boy  to  be  afraid  of  a 
little  noise  like  that." 

"  I  didn't  say  I  was  afraid." 

"  But  you  looked  afraid.  I  do  wish. 
Brother, ' '  and  here  Sister  stood  upright  as 
if  to  lecture  in  the  oatbin  where  she  and 
Brother  were  playing  mill,  **that  you 
would  get  over  that  habit  you  have  of 
trying  to  get  out  of  things.  It  is  just  as 
bad  to  look  scared  as  to  be  scared,  and 
you  can't  fool  me.  You  know  mamma 
says  you  have  a  *  speaking  countenance,' 
and  that  it  always  tells  just  what  you  are 
thinking  about." 

**Can  you  tell  by  looking  at  my 
cheeks  ?  " 

**  Yes,  even  by  looking  at  your  nose." 

**  That's  funny,"  and  Brother  laughed, 
glad  to  talk  about  something  else. 

* '  So  if  you  want  to  prove  to  me  that 
you  are  not  afraid,  you  ought  to  go  up- 
stairs and  see  what  is  scratching." 

**  I'm  not  afraid,"  and  Brother  scram- 


b 
si 


h 
t 
t 
u 


s 


THE  RAM- CAT'S  KITTENS 


II 


bled  out  of  the  bin,  and  started  for  the 
steep  little  stair  which  led  to  the  loft. 

These  two  little  people  of  six  and  seven 
were  spending  a  most  happy  summer  on 
their  grandfather's  farm,  a  fine  old  place 
in  Virginia.  Just  now  they  were  playing 
in  one  of  the  group  of  log  houses  which 
had  been  *  *  the  quarters  * '  in  slavery 
times,  the  lower  floor  of  which  was  some- 
times used  to  store  extra  grain,  while  the 
upper  part  of  the  cabin  was  used  as  a 
bedroom  for  the  two  colored  boys.  A 
great  bin  was  found  to  be  a  most  de- 
sirable place  in  which  to  play,  and  many 
a  salt-bag  of  oats  was  loaded  into  the 
express  wagon  and  drawn  to  a  make-be- 
lieve mill  in  another  corner,  sister  becom- 
ing at  once  both  horse  and  driver,  and 
Brother  placing  himself  at  the  mill,  where 
he  took  the  grist  with  a  loud  and  gruff 
voice — as  became  a  dusty  miller  who  was 
always  at  work  among  rumbling  wheels 
and  stones. 

At  the  foot  of  the  stairs  Brother  paused. 


Ill  I 

I 


till 


4 


12 


7///';  FARM'S  J.ITTLE  rJWP/.K 


*'  Fm  noi  at  all  afraid,  you  know,  Sis- 
ter, but  even  when  I'm  upstairs  maybe  I 
can't  find  out.  You'd  better  come  with 
me.  You  know  I  can't  tell  very  well.  I 
might  think  it  was  Bingo,  or  an  old  hen 
making  a  nest  on  the  boys'  bed.  I  might 
— why,  Sister,  it's  the  ram-cat!  "  And 
there  sure  enough  was  **the  ram-cat" 
(so  called  because  of  gray  marks  on 
each  side  of  her  head,  which  the  chil- 
dren declared  looked  like  the  horns  of  a 
ram)  peering  over  the  side  of  the  stair. 

"  Oh,  Brother,  wait  for  me.  I'm  sure 
the  ram-cat  has  a  nest  in  the  loft.  How 
perfectly  lovely!  "  and  Sister  went  over 
the  side  of  the  bin  in  double-quick  time. 

Up  the  stairs  they  flew,  forgetful  of 
panthers  or  danger  of  any  kind.  The 
ram-cat  met  them  and  rubbed  against 
them  in  a  friendly  way. 

"  Rammy,  dear,  have  you  a  nest  ?  " 
and  Sister  stooped  to  stroke  her,  while 
Brother  began  peering  about.  *'  Have 
you  kittens,  Rammy  ?  " 


TIIK  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


n 


"  Rammy  "  only  twisted  herself 
around  Sister's  thin  legs  and  pushed 
against  her  bare  feet  with  velvety  paws. 
She  was  not  a  house  cat  like  Pooley,  still 
she  was  on  very  good  and  gentle  terms 
with  the  children,  who  often  brought  her 
tempting  little  dinners.  She  even  had  a 
frolic  with  them  at  times,  a  thing  which 
stately  Pooley  never  did,  for  Pooley  never 
even  stayed  with  any  one  but  grandfather. 
Now  it  had  long  been  one  of  their  fond- 
est hopes  that  some  day  the  ram-cat 
would,  as  they  termed  it,  "hatch  kit- 
tens," for  there  were  many  plays  in  which 
kittens  could  take  part,  and  a  "flock" 
of  them  would  be  a  far  lovelier  sight  than 
any  flock  of  downy  chickens.  Little 
chickens  were  beautiful  enough,  but  even 
Brother  feared  the  claws  of  the  mother 
hen  too  much  ever  to  pick  up  a  chick, 
and  as  for  Sister,  she  would  go  far  out 
of  her  path  any  day,  rather  than  meet 
Mistress  Speck  and  her  brood.  So  little 
chickens  did  not  count  for  much. 


Ill 


14 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


Once  more  a  little  scraping  sound  was 
heard,  and  this  time  there  was  with  it  a 
faint  but  real  mewing,  which  seemed  to 
come  from  an  old  barrel  which  stood  half 
hidden  under  the  eaves.  The  children 
made  a  rush  toward  it  and  the  ram-cat 
followed  them  uneasily.  Brother  tilted 
himself  over  the  barrel  and  looked  down 
into  it.  He  tilted  himself  so  far  that 
Sister  had  to  grasp  him  around  the 
chubby  calves  to  keep  him  from  tumbling 
in  altogether.  She  could  hear  him  breath- 
ing hard,  but  it  was  a  moment  of  such 
intensity,  that  neither  could  speak.  Then 
Brother  wriggled  himself  out  until  his 
toes  touched  the  floor ;  then  his  head  ap- 
peared ;  then  out  came  his  arms — and  in 
each  hand  he  grasped  a  soft,  roly-poly 
kitten. 

"Take  them,  Sister,  and  1*11  get  the 
rest;  the  barrel's  'most  full  of  them." 

Sister  took  them  into  the  doubled-up 
skirt  of  her  dress  in  perfect  silence,  and 
Brother  again  tilted  himself  into  the  bar- 


|ii!  I 


V 


THE  RAM- CAT'S  KITTENS 


15 


d  was 
ti  it  a 
led  to 
dhalf 
ildren 
n-cat 
tilted 
iown 
that 
the 
Dling 
;ath- 
such 
'hen 
his 
ap- 
d  in 

)Olv 

the 

■up 
nd 
ar- 


rel,  Sister  solemnly  holding  him  by  one 
leg  with  her  free  hand;  coming  out  he 
silently  put  two  more  kittens  into  her 
skirt  and  once  more  half  of  him  was  lost 
to  view.  This  time  only  one  kitten  was 
fished  r.p. 

**  I  tnought  there  were  more,"  he  said, 
in  deep  disappointment. 

"You  said  the  barrel  was  'most  full, 
Brother,"  mournfully. 

"Well,  Sister,  truly  and  truly  it  did 
seem  'most  full.  They  must  have  kept 
crawling  up  the  sides  and  tumbling  back, ' ' 
and  poor  little  Brother  was  mortified  that 
his  treasury  should  so  soon  become 
empty. 

"  Well,  never  mind,  we  can  get  along 
with  five,"  and  then  Sister's  joy  began  to 
overflow.  "Thank  you,  thank  you,  for 
getting  them  out  of  the  barrel;  I  never 
could  have  got  them  out !  ' ' 

"  I'm  so  glad  I  happen  to  be  a  boy, 
'cause  boys  can  get  kittens  out  of  barrels 
better  than  girls  can,  'cause  they  are  not 


'II 


i6 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


afraid  of  tearing  their  dresses,  that's  the 
only  reason.  Are  they  beauties,  Sis- 
ter ?  "  beaming  at  her. 

* '  Perfect  little  loves  !  They  are  squirm- 
ing 'round  like  little  angels.  Peep  in  at 
them,"  and  she  opened  a  fold  of  her 
skirt.  "  We'll  own  them  together,  won't 
we  ?  Let's  go  down  to  the  bin  and  put 
them  on  the  floor,  so  we  can  see  them  all 
at  once.  It  will  be  better  than  playing 
mill." 

**  And  we  can  train  them,  and  have  a 
circus." 

**Yes,  and  now  that  the  ram-cat  has 
hatched  kittens,  I  just  believe  that  old 
Charley  will  hatch  a  Shetland  pony." 

"  I  believe  he'll  hatch  two,"  said 
Brother,  who  always  liked  to  have  things 
complete.  "  Let  me  carry  some  of 
them." 

**  Yes,  take  one  in  each  hand,  but  do  be 
careful  not  to  drop  them." 

Down  they  went  with  their  precious 
load,   the  ram-cat  coming  as  a   jealous 


r^ 

01 

t( 
kl 

el 

tl 
1( 
tl 


THE  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


"7 


f'^^i 


rear  guard,  and  into  the  bin  they  labori- 
ously climbed.  Once  safely  within,  Sis- 
ter's skirt  was  emptied  and  a  soft  wad  of 
kittenhood  put  upon  the  floor.  To  the 
excited  children  it  seemed  to  combine  all 
the  colors  of  the  rainbow,  and  long  and 
lovingly  was  it  looked  over.  By  turns 
they  decided  that  the  beauty  of  the  family 
was  the  all-white  one — the  gray  one — 
and  each  of  the  cunning  white  ones  with 
gray  spots.  Brother  wanted  to  begin 
their  training  at  once,  but  their  legs  were 
so  weak  and  their  bodies  so  pudgy,  that 
both  Sister  and  the  mother  protested  in 
their  different  ways,  and  the  kittens  were 
put  to  sleep  in  a  corner  of  the  bin. 

But  trained  cats  they  were  to  be,  sooner 
or  later,  and  the  little  busybodies  after 
kissing  the  soft  heap,  betook  themselves 
to  the  labor  of  making  the  place  clean 
and  tidy,  for  future  performances.  Old 
brooms  were  brought  in,  and  such  a  cloud 
of  dust  was  raised  that  they  seemed  to 
recede  from  each  other  into  dim  distance. 


B 


iiilil 


After  sweeping,  seats  were  set  for  the 
audience  which  was  to  consist  of  grand- 
father, the  aunts,  and  mamma. 
Joey  Vale  was  to  be  asked  to  assist 
in  the  ring;  and  if  Bingo  and  the  ram- 
cat  could  be  coaxed  to  be  friendly  enough, 
he  too  would  add  to  the  attractions  of  the 
arena. 

When  all  was  done  they  once  more 
climbed  back  into  the  bin  to  feast  their 
eyes  upon  the  kittens  and  to  rest  them- 
selves. 

*  *  Shall  we  tell  about  them  when  we  go 
to  dinner,  or  shall  we  keep  them  for  a 
surprise  ?  " 

*  *  To-morrow  is  Aunt  Lea- 
shie's    birthday;    we    might 
make    her    a    present    of 
!./  them,"  said  Sister. 

**  But  you  know  Aunt  Leashie  does  not 
like    cats.      She    even    calls    Pooley   a 
i5  beast." 

**  Well,  she  is  a  beast." 

**But  I  don't  think  she  ought  to  be 


THE  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


>9 


not 

7   a 


be 


called  one — and  right  before  grandfather 
too,"  protested  Brother. 

**Well  then,  perhaps  Aunt  Leashie 
would  not  like  them,  so  we'll  keep  them 
for  a  surprise.  And  when  we  have 
trained  them  to  jump  over  sticks  and  ride 
on  Bingo's  back,  and  stand  on  their  hind 
legs  and  mew  *  Home  Sweet  Home,'  like 
the  trained  dogs " 

**  Only  the  dogs  bark  it." 

*'  Oh,  well,  that's  because  they  can't 
mew — and  when  they  can  jump  through 
hoops  and  wear  little  dresses  and  coats 
like  monkeys,  we'll  give  a  circus,  and 
won't  everybody  be  'stonished  ?  How 
proud  the  ram-cat  will  be  of  her  chil- 
dren. Oh,  dear,  I  hear  Bingo  coming! 
Now,  they  will  fight  and  step  on  the  kit- 
tens and  kill  them !  Do  run.  Brother, 
and  shut  him  into  the  barn.  It  is  the 
only  chance  to  save  their  lives,  the  dear 
wee  things.  Go  away,  you  wicked 
dog!"  Bingo  at  this  moment  came 
rushing  into  the  cabin   and  hearing  the 


20 


Tim  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


children  talking  in  the  bin,  peered  over  at 
them  with  a  series  of  joyful  little  yelps, 
and  made  as  if  to  jump  over  to  them. 

**  Bingo,"  said  Brother  sternly,  "go 
to  the  house  this  minute." 

"  Oh,  dear,  dear  !  I  can  almost  hear 
their  poor  little  bones  being  crunched. 
Oh,  look  at  Rammy's  tail!  "  and  Sister 
spread  her  skirts  over  the  tempting  mor- 
sels, and  the  mother  cat  glared  with  fiery 
eyes  at  the  good-natured  pup.  **0h. 
Brother,  if  you  don't  get  the  awful  mon- 
ster away,  we'll  all  be  killed — they'll  tear 
us  to  pieces  between  them." 

Valiant  Brother  scrambled  out,  took 
the  joyous  Bingo  by  the  nape  of  the 
neck,  and  by  coaxing  and  cuffing  at  last 
did  get  him  outside,  and  Sister  hurried 
after  them,  closing  the  door  carefully. 

"  I've  left  the  sweet  darlings  asleep  in 
the  bin  with  their  kind  mother  to  protect 
them.  What  a  narrow  escape !  Bingo, 
if  you  had  pounced  upon  them,  I'd — 
I'd— 


tt 


i 


THE  KAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


21 


f  { 


go 


Bingo  stood  before  her  asking  with  his 
eyes  what  she  would  have  dono,  but  as 
she  seemed  unable  to  think  and  remained 
silent,  he  presently  gave  a  gruff  bark  and 
pretended  to  attack  her,  by  flattening  him- 
himself  upon  the  ground,  the^  suddenly 
springing  up  and  circling  around  her. 
This  was  always  a  challenge  for  a  grand 
romp  and  the  children  could  not  resist  him. 

"We  may  as  well  play  with  him 
awhile,"  said  Sister,  "and  get  his  mind 
off  the  kittens." 

Not  only  was  Bingo's  mind  diverted, 
but  they  played  themselves  into  complete 
forgetfulness  as  well.  When  they  were 
called  to  dinner  they  found  Aunt  Sie 
planning  a  trip  to  a  farm  near  by,  and 
they  were  asked  to  go  along.  Invitations 
were  seldom  thrown  away  on  them,  and 
after  dinner,  each  holding  dear  Aunt 
Sie's  hand,  they  started  off. 

It  was  only  when  they  were  well  on 
their  way  that  the  helpless  state  of  their 
treasure  recurred  to  Sister. 


liilinii  i 


22 


^'HE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


ill 


*  *  We  must  go  back — we  must  go  back 
this  very  mirute!  "  she  cried,  coming  to 
a  dead  halt. 

**  Why  must  you  go  back?"  asked 
Aunt  Sie  in  surprise. 

**  Oh,  Aunt  Sie,  it  was  a  secret,  but 
now  you'll  never,  never  see  them,  Bingo 
will  eat  them  all  I  "  and  Sister  burst  into 
tears. 

*'  And  he  can  gulp  'em  right  down — 
they  are  so  soft,"  added  Brother  in  a 
trembling  voice. 

*  *  Eat  what  ?     Gulp  what  down  ?  '  * 
**We  may  as  well  tell,   Brother — the 

circus  is  all  over — we  won't  even  have  a 
funeral  if  he  eats  them,"  said  Sister. 
'*  Well,  you  are  puzzling  children  I  " 
«*  K-k-kittens,  Aunt  Sie." 
"  The — the — ram-cat  has  five  kittens." 
*'  Well,  that  is  a  calamity,"  exclaimed 
their  aunt.     **  Five  m^Te  cats  to  feed  !  " 

"And  Bingo  knows  about  them- " 

*' And  he  'most  ate  them  before  din- 


ner. 


> » 


E 

3  back 
ng  to 

asked 

»  but 
Bingo 
!t  into 

wn — 
in  a 

—the 
ive  a 


IS." 

tned 

[|" 
>» 

iin- 


THE  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


23 


*'  Well,  he  won't  'most  eat  them  after 
dinner  if  the  ram-cat  is  around." 

**0h,  won't  she  let  him?  Will  she 
spag  him  ?"  they  both  cried  in  a  breath. 

'*  Spag  him!  Well,  all  I  have  to  say- 
is,  that  if  Bingo  tries  to  eat  the  ram-cat's 
kittens,  there  won't  be  more  than  the 
tip  of  his  tail  left!  " 

**  Oh,  goody!  Will  there  be  only 
about  an  inch  of  his  tail  left,  Aunt  Sie  ? 
Show  me  on  your  finger,"  urged  exact 
Brother.     **  Aren't  you  glad.  Sister  ?  " 

Their  weeping  was  turned  to  laughter 
as  they  seized  each  other  and  broke  into 
a  **  joyful  dance." 

The  sun  was  just  setting  when  they 
reached  home,  warm  and  tired,  and  a 
hasty  search  was  made  for  the  downy 
mass  they  had  left  in  the  oatbin.  To 
their  horror  they  found  the  bin  empty; 
but  as  there  was  no  sign  of  bloodshed, 
they  dared  hope  there  had  been  no  battle 
between  Bingo  and  the  ram-cat. 


24 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


V 


liiiiim 


"  Maybe,  Sister,"  and  Brother's  face 
glowed  with  hope,  **  maybe  their  mother 
thought  they  were  to  sleep  upstairs.  You 
know  at  home  Tibbie  always  used  to 
carry  hers  out  to  the  shed  in  her  mouth." 

Upstairs  trotted  the  tired  little  legs  and 
there,  sure  enough,  in  the  barrel  lay  the 
ram-cat  surrounded  by  her  family.  It 
was  too  dark  to  see  distinctly,  but 
Brother  made  sure  they  were  all  there  by 
feeling  and  counting  each  sharp  little  tail. 
Once  he  shouted  up  from  the  depth  of 
the  barrel  that  there  were  six,  but  a  re- 
count proved  to  him  that  he  had  gotten 
hold  of  the  same  tail  twice. 

"  I  wish,  Brother,  you'd  be  careful  not 
to  make  such  mistakes.  All  in  a  minute 
I  thought  how  beautiful  three  pairs  of 
kittens  would  look  galloping  around  the 
ring;  and  it  is  so  disappointing  to  have 
to  get  used  to  two  pairs  and  a  half 
again." 

*'Well.  I'm  awful  sorry,  Sister;  but 
you  see  I  could  not  help  it — they  squirmed 


so.  They  probably  thought  I  was  a  bad 
boy  and  meant  to  lift  them  by  their  tails. 
But  you  know  I  wouldn't  do  such  a 
wicked  thing,  eh,  Sister?" 

She  was  touched  by  his  humility  and 
kissed  him. 

"Oh,  let's  go  down,  Brother,  I'm  so 
tired;  I'm  glad  there  aren't  six,  I'm  too 
tired  to  think  of  that  many." 

"And  it  kind  of  rests  you  only  to 
think  of  five,  doesn't  it.  Sister  ?  " 

"Yes,  that's  it." 

And  with  their  arms  around  each  other 
the  little  people  went  slowly  toward  the 
house  through  the  warm  dusk. 

They  awoke  fresh  and  bright.  All  the 
weariness  of  the  previous  day  had  been 
taken  off  to  fairyland  while  they  slept 
by  "  Toosle,"  a  certain  fairy  friend  of 
theirs,  who  was  supposed  to  watch  over 
their  sleep,  to  see  if  he  could  do  any- 
thing for  them.  Sometimes  the  rogue 
played  tricks  on  them,  such  as  tangling 
or  ' '  toosling ' '   their  hair,  turning  their 


26 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


sleeves  inside  out,  or  pulling  off  buttons 
which  they  were  sure  were  all  right  when 
they  had  gone  to  bed ;  but  oftener  he  did 
them  good  turns  such  as  healing  briar 
scratches,  or  black  and  blue  spots,  or 
bumps.  These  with  aches  and  pains 
once  in  a  while  he  carried  off  to  fairyland 
and  stored  away  until  he  found  bad  boys 
and  girls  to  palm  them  off  on. 

But  something  awful  had  happened 
during  the  night.  When  Sister  and 
Brother  went  to  the  cabin  and  looked 
into  the  barrel,  only  one  kitten  was  to 
be  found.  The  ram-cat  too  was  mysti- 
fied. In  vain  they  and  she  looked  and 
called,  both  upstairs  and  down.  The 
ram-cat  tried  to  explain  to  them  that 
when  she  had  returned  from  an  early 
trip  to  look  for  her  own  breakfast,  and 
jumped  into  the  barrel  to  give  the  kittens 
theirs,  only  one  of  all  her  lovely  family 
was  left. 

Wild  guesses  rushed  one  upon  the 
other.     What  could  have  become  of  the 


E 


THE  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


27 


mttons 
t  when 
he  did 

briar 

ts,  or 

pains 

yland 

boys 

Dened 
and 
)oked 
as  to 
lysti- 

and 

The 

that 
2arly 

and 
tens 
tnily 

the 
the 


four  little  beauties  ?  Could  Randolph 
and  Beverly  each  have  stolen  two  and 
taken  them  home  to  their  little  brothers 
and  sisters  ?  Could  Bingo  have  eaten 
them  ?  Could  jealous  Pooley  have  car- 
ried them  off  ? 

In  despair  they  went  to  their  grand- 
father with  their  sad  tale  and  their  sus- 
picions. He  sympathized  with  them  in 
their  grief,  and  told  them  that  it  was  not 
the  first  time  he  had  known  whole  fami- 
lies of  kittens  to  disappear  and  never  be 
heard  of  again.  But  he  did  his  best  to 
clear  away  the  cloud  of  suspicion  which 
rested  upon  Bingo.  In  all  his  long  years 
he  had  nev3r  known  a  dog  to  really  eat 
cats. 

"And,'*  he  said,  stooping  down  to 
pat  Bingo,  '*  see  how  innocent  the  poor 
dog  looks,  and  how  sad  because  you  are 
so  cross  to  him.  Bingo,  have  you  eaten 
any  kittens  this  morning  ?  Open  your 
mouth  and  let  me  see  if  there  is  any  fur 


m  it. 


» > 


28 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


Bingo  not  only  opened  his  mouth,  but 
showed  a  clean  red  tongue  and  gleaming 
white  teeth  in  a  joyous  smile. 

**  There,  you  see  what  an  honest  fel- 
low he  looks.  Pat  him  and  be  friendly 
with  him  again,  for  I'm  quite  certain  he 
knows  nothing  of  this  sad  business.  And 
anyhow,  don't  you  think  it  is  rather  a 
good  thing  that  the  poor  ram-cat  hasn't 
five  kittens  to  look  after?  " 

**  But  we  would  have  taken  care  of 
them,  grandfather;  we  meant  to  train 
them,"  they  broke  in. 

*  *  But  think  how  many  birds  she  would 
have  been  tempted  to  catch  for  them. 
Now  you  can  manage  with  one  and  make 
a  pet  of  it.  And  I  don't  believe  Bingo 
will  meddle  with  it  after  the  way  Pooley 
cuffed  him.     So,  cheer  up." 

*'We  are  cheering  up,  grandfather, 
as  fast  as  we  can,"  replied  Sister  in  a 
very  doleful  tone.  "But  it  is  very  hard 
to  get  cheerful  on  only  one  kitten." 

"  You  may  own  the  head.  Sister,  and 


E 

:h,  but 
aming 

St  fel- 
endly 

in  he 
And 

her  a 

lasn't 

re  of 
train 

v^ould 

hem. 

nake 

iingo 

loley 

her, 
in  a 
lard 

and 


THE  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


29 


I'll  own  the  tail,"  said  Brother  gloomily, 
"  and  we'll  both  own  the  paws." 

**That  will  be  a  very  fair  division. 
Come,  let  us  have  a  look  at  the  little 
thing." 

It  was  indeed  an  honor  to  have  grand- 
father go  to  look  at  their  little  kitten,  and 
they  told  him  on  the  way  how  they  had 
meant  to  have  a  circus ;  how  they  had 
found  the  ram-cat's  nest;  and  how  at 
first  Brother  was  just  a  little  bit  afraid 
that  it  was  a  panther,  and  so  on,  until 
they  had  talked  themselves  upstairs. 
Grandfather  made  them  happy  by  declar- 
ing it  to  be  the  most  beautiful  kitten  he 
had  ever  seen.  He  admired  its  snowy 
whiteness  and  its  blue  eyes  which,  he 
said,  were  very  unusual. 

"  I  am  going  down  to  the  bottom-lands 
to  see  how  the  boys  are  coming  on  with 
their  hoeing,  so  you  had  better  put  the 
kitten  back  with  its  mother  and  come 
with  me." 

**  Oh,  thank  you,  grandfather,  for  tak- 


30 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


ing  US,  and  we  can  play  at  the  brook 
while  you  look  after  the  boys." 

Away  they  went,  their  loss  forgotten 
in  thoughts  of  catching  crawfish  in  the 
little  brook  which  ran  around  the  wood 
lot  to  finally  tumble  into  the  carp-pond. 
Catching  crawfish  was  one  of  their  great- 
est pleasures,  and  as  they  trotted  along 
by  their  grandfather's  side,  Brother  told 
how  Sister  lifted  up  the  stones  and  he 
picked  up  the  crawfish  she  uncovered. 

*'And  I'm  very  careful  not  to  take 
them  by  the  end  what  bites,  you  know, 
grandfather,  for  they  just  put  their  little 
arms  around  your  finger  and — whew !  ' ' 

*  *  And  what  do  you  do  with  them  after 
you  catch  them  ? ' ' 

**  Oh,  we  have  a  dam  that  we  put  them 
into,  and  next  summer  when  we  come  to 
visit  you,  they  will  have  grown  to  be  big 
lobsters." 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the 
brook — a  pretty  spot  under  overhanging 
branches,  among  whose  leaves  the  birds 


/ 


I  ! 


THE  RAM- CAT'S  KITTENS 


31 


and  summer  breeze  made  pleasant  music. 
And  here  grandfather  left  them  to  pur- 
sue lobster-raising  while  he  went  forward 
to  oversee  a  harvest  almost  as  doubtful. 
He  could  still  hear  them  splashing  about 
in  the  water  and  talking  steadily  to  each 
other. 

Presently  there  was  a  pause  followed 
by  loud  calls. 

"  Oh,  grandfather,  grandfather !  Come, 
please,  as  fast  as  you  can.  We've  found 
them  !     They  were  in  the  dam !  " 

He  hastened  back  and  saw  Sister  and 
Brother  standing  knee-deep  in  water,  and 
in  each  raised  hand  a  little  drowned  kitten. 

"  They're  dead — perfectly  dead,"  and 
Sister's  ready  tears  splashed  into  the 
brook. 

**  St-stone  dead,  grandfather,"  and 
Brother  swallowed  hard  to  keep  back  his. 

*  *  Where  in  the  world  did  you  find 
them?" 

**  Right  here.  I  was  looking  for  our 
lobsters,  and  I  felt  something  soft  under 


32 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


my  foot,  and  I  picked  it  up  and  it  was 
one  of  our  kittens,  and  I  felt  around  for 
more,  and  then  I  found  them  all." 

"It  is  a  shame!"  said  grandfather, 
and  he  turned  and  walked  quickly  back 
to  where  the  boys  were  at  work,  and  they 
heard  him  speaking  sharply  to  them. 

*'  Grandfather  seems  to  be  scolding 
the  boys ;  I  wonder  what  they  have 
done  ?  "  said  Brother. 

"  He  is  saying  something  about  places 
where  we  don't  play." 

**  Sister,  I've  just  thought  how  it  all 
happened!  The  ram-cat  often  comes 
down  here  to  catch  birds — of  course  she 
doesn't  know  it's  wicked  to — and  maybe 
this  morning  she  came  and  they  followed 
her,  and  they  fell  in.  That's  just  the 
way  it  happened!  " 

"  Of  course  it  is.  I'm  glad  we  found 
them,  if  it  did  make  us  feel  so  awful." 

*  *  And  now  we  know  that  grandfather 
is  the  wisest  man  in  the  world !  You 
know  he  said  Bingo  did  not  eat  them." 


OTLE 

md  it  was 
around  for 
11." 

andfather, 
ickly  back 
,  and  they 
them. 

scolding 
hey   have 

out  places 

low  it  all 
en  comes 
ourse  she 
id  maybe 
'  followed 
just   the 

we  found 
.wful." 
andfather 
dl     You 
them." 


THE  RAM- CAT'S  KITTENS 


i^Z 


*'  And  we  were  so  cross  to  Bingo." 

"And  v/e  can  have  a  funeral." 

"We   can   have   four,    Brother,    four 

sweet  little  funerals  !  ' ' 

*  *  And  it  will   be   almost   better   than 

having  a  circus.' 


If 


Calamities  did  not  cease  in  the  ram- 
cat's  family,  for  about  two  weeks  later 
the  poor  ram-cat  herself  fell  a  victim  to  a 
savage  dog,  and  was  found  dead  near  the 
barn. 

*  *  Now  you  will  have  to  take  entire 
I  care  of  poor  little  Snowball,"  for  so  they 
had  named  her.  **  You  see  now  that  it 
was  a  good  thing  that  the  others  were 
drowned.  I'm  afraid  they  would  have 
been  unhappy." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  grandfather,  it  is  a  very 
good  thing,"  said  Brother  soberly. 

All  day  Snowball  was  plied  with  milk 
and  even  cream,  and  much  of  the  after- 
noon was  spent  in  making  a  suitable  bed 
for  her.     Aunt  Sie  gave  them  some  bits 


34 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


Nil'' 


^i 


1 1 


of  soft  blanket,  which  they  put  into  an 
old  pail  making  quite  a  cozy  nest.  After 
it  was  finished  they  put  it  in  a  corner  of 
the  cabin  and  carried  their  pet  to  the 
house  to  havt  i  long  romp  with  her  after 
supper. 

They  played  until  dark,  when  mamma 
said  it  was  high  time  for  both  them  and 
their  kitten  to  be  in  bed,  so  they  ran 
down  through  the  moonlight  to  the  cabin 
to  put  Snowball  into  her  new  nest.  It 
was  quite  dark  in  the  little  room,  but  they 
felt  about  until  Sister  laid  hold  of  the 
bucket.  "  Good-night,  you  beautiful 
darling,  I  hope  you  will  sleep  well.  Kiss 
her,  Brother,  right  between  her  little 
ears,  and  then  we'll  put  the  dear  wee 
thing  to  bed.  There  now,  in  you  go. 
You'll  be  nice  and  com — 


> » 


Splash !   Sputter !  !     Spatter  1 1 ! 

' '  Me-yow — me-yow !  ' ' 

**  Oh,  Brother,  what  is  it  ?  What  has 
happened  ?  She's  fallen  into  some- 
thing!    Hear  her  puff — she's  drowning. 


Be 

al 

lig 

thi 

po 

ha 
ca 
be 
se 
Sr 
he 

th 
dr 
ea 
w 

P' 

a1 
st 

0 


I 


'LE 


THE  RAM-CAT'S  KITTENS 


35 


into  an 
t.  After 
orner  of 

to  the 
tier  after 

mamma 
lem  and 
hey  ran 
he  cabin 
test.  It 
but  they 
of  the 
Deautiful 
I.  Kiss 
er  little 
sar  wee 
^ou   go. 

I 

hat  has 

some- 

)wning. 


Beverly — Randolph — oh,  somebody  bring 
alight!" 

The  boys  upstairs  ran  down  with  a 
light  and  the  scene  upon  which  they  came 
threw  them  into  screams  of  laughter  and 
poor  Sister  into  hysterical  weeping. 

During  the  day  some  papering  had  been 
going  on  at  the  house,  and  the  workmen 
had  put  their  bucket  of  paste  into  the 
cabin  to  have  it  ready  when  they  should 
begin  work  in  the  morning.  They  had 
set  it  beside  the  fine  couch  prepared  for 
Snowball,  and  in  the  dark  Sister  had  laid 
her  into  it. 

As  the  first  glimmer  of  light  showed 
the  awful  mistake,  Brother  seized  the 
dripping  kitten  and  held  it  high.  Its 
ears  were  pasted  flat  to  its  head,  its  eyes 
were  closed,  and  from  its  feebly  moving 
paws  trickled  thick  streams  of  paste. 

**  Oh,  don't  hold  it  up  like  that !  Look 
at  its  beautiful  tail ;  it  is  just  like  a  pipe- 
stem!"  shrieked  Sister.  "Oh,  put  it 
on  the  floor,  it  is  dying — it  is  dying !  ' ' 


i  I 


p^i 


iit 


36 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


!i 


Brother  sadly  placed  it  upon  the  floor 
and  it  crept  off  leaving  a  trail  of  paste 
behind  it. 

*♦  Is  it  dead  yet  ?  I  can't  look !  "  wept 
Sister  from  under  her  apron  which  she 
had  thrown  over  her  face. 

"Not  quite,  Sister;  it's  creeping 
around  a  little  yet.  Boys,  you  oughtn't 
to  laugh,"  in  a  voice  which  suited  the 
solemn  occasion. 

** '  Deed  we's  got  to  larf.  It  do  look 
so  mighty  funny!  Yo'  bettah  take  it  out 
an'  drop  it  in  de  trof  now,"  and  they 
kept  on  with  their  merriment,  until  the 
coming  of  the  family,  drawn  by  the  up- 
roar. Brother  held  the  pitiable  object  up 
to  be  looked  at.  After  a  hurried  discus- 
sion it  was  decided  to  take  it  to  the 
kitchen  and  wash  it  in  warm  water,  so  a 
procession  was  formed  headed  by  Brother 
bearing  his  slippery  burden.  Poor  Snow- 
ball was  too  bewildered  to  object  very 
much  to  the  tepid  bath,  though  she  did 
not  submit  quite  without  protest. 


THE  RAM- CAT'S  KITTENS 


37 


After  the  paste  was  washed  off  she  was 
wrapped  up  and  put  into  a  snug  place  to 
dry.  Then  the  weary  children  were  car- 
ried off  to  bed  to  dream  of  the  awful 
event. 

In  the  morning  when  they  stole  down 
to  the  kitchen  they  found  Snowball, 
fluffy,  frolicsome,  and  white,  and  in  as 
high  spirits  as  if  her  nine  chances  of  life 
were  not  cut  down  to  eight. 


HOLLYHOCK  LADIES 


i 

' ,                   1 

1  ,. 

I 

;    1 
1    1 

} 

Mr!!'  i 

i  ;th  i 

l!;il  iiiiri,(. 
I  I."  !i'li'i:!i 


lllli 


!i| 


1!    . 


HOLLYHOCK  LADIES 


H,  dear,  I'm  sure  I  don't  know 
what  to  do  !  Nothing  seems 
to  be  nice  this  morning. 
Brother  is  not  like  he  used  to 
be,  and  Bingo  has  gone  off  to  the  field 
with  the  boys,  and  Juno  shook  her  head 
at  me  as  if  she'd  just  be  glad  to  hook 
me  if  I  climbed  through  the  bars,  and 
Snowball  scratched  me — ah !  ' '  and  the 
doleful  list  finished  with  a  catch  in  the 
voice  which  was  next  door  to  a  sob. 

"  Poor  Sister,  I'm  sorry  things  are 
going  so  badly  with  you.  How,  in  what 
way,  has  Brother  changed  ? ' '  asked 
mamma,  as  she  finished  cutting  a  but- 
ton-hole. 

* '  I — I  think  he  likes  Joey  Vale  better 
than  he  does  me.  He  said — well,  1  don't 
mean  he  said  it — but  he  looked  as  if  he 

41 


'I 


il 


42 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


wished  I'd  go  into  the  house  last  week 
when  Joey  came  to  play  with  us.  And 
— well — mamma,  I  think  I  could  have 
sat  in  between  grandfather  and  Aunt 
Leashie  without  crowding  them  much, 
I'd  have  sat  so  slim,"  and  at  that  Sister 
threw  herself  upon  her  mother's  shoulder 
and  gave  way  to  the  grief  which  had 
been  growing  more  bitter  every  moment 
since  she  had  watched  her  grandfather 
and  aunt  drive  away. 

**  Oh,  is  that  what  has  spoiled  the  day 
for  you  ?  Well,  after  you  have  cried 
you  will  feel  better,  and  you  will  begin 
to  recall  all  the  lovely  drives  you  have 
had,  and  feel  sure  that  if  dear,  kind 
grandfather  could  have  taken  you  with 
him  he  would — 


>  I 


'*Aunt  Leashie  offered  to  let  me  sit 
on  her  lap " 

**  Yes,  I  know  she  did;  but  think  how 
tired  poor  Aunt  Leashie  would  have  been 
at  the  end  of  several  miles  with  a  big 
girl  on  her  lap.     She  offered,  because 


Hill 


week 
And 
have 
Aunt 
much, 
Sister 
oulder 
;h  had 
loment 
dfather 

he  day 
:  cried 
begin 
i  have 
,  kind 
J  with 

me  sit 

k  how 
i  been 
a  big 
cause 


HOLLYHOCK  LADLES 


43 


she  is  unselfish;  but  all  the  same,  we 
must  be  unselfish  too.  Now  I  want  you 
to  forget  that  you  have  been  left  behind, 
and  dry  your  eyes — like  little  Sally  Wa- 
ters— only  not  on  your  frock ;  that  would 
be  pretty  awful,  wouldn't  it  ? — and  hunt 
Brother  up  and  have  a  good  play. ' '  Then 
mamma  kissed  the  sorrowful  little  girl  as 
she  laid  aside  her  work  and  took  her 
upon  her  lap. 

**No,  I  can't  play  with  Brother,  even 
when  I'm  through  crying.  He  is  tying 
bees  into  the  hollyhocks,  and  they  buzz 
so  that  they  terrify  me,"  sobbed  the  little 
girl  as  she  cuddled  up  to  her  mother, 
already  beginning  to  feel  the  relief  of 
tears  and  the  efEect  of  a  bracing  sym- 
pathy. 

*  *  Tying  bees  into  the  hollyhocks ! 
What  in  the  world  is  he  doing  that  f  or  ?  " 

**He  says  they  injure  the  hollyhocks, 
and  he  wants  to  teach  them  a  lesson.  He 
thinks  if  he  scares  them,  they  won't 
meddle    with    flowers    any   more.      He 


44 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


ii  i 


! 


1^1! 


means  to  keep  the  bees  tied  in  until 
dark,  and — I — I  think  it  is  very  cruel. 
The  poor  things  will  never  be  able  to  find 
their  way  back  to  the  hives.  Brother 
says  they  can  because,  he  says,  he  be- 
lieves they  have  cat-eyes  and  can  see  in 
the  dark.  And  besides,  I'm  afraid  they 
will  smother.  Oh,  dear,  I  feel  so  sorry 
for  them — I  wish  he  wouldn't;  the  poor, 
poor  bees  1  ' '  and  Sister  went  off  into 
another  flood  of  tears,  which  mamma 
saw  was  going  to  be  the  clearing-up 
shower.  She  waited  until  it  was  over 
and  a  sunny  smile  showed  itself  in  the 
dimple  at  the  corner  of  her  mouth. 

*'  He  was  standing  in  the  high 
chair,  and — and  it  upset  with  him," 
here  the  smile  was  joined  by  a  musi- 
cal little  laugh.  "He  looked  so  funny, 
pitching  headforemost  among  the  holly- 
hocks, with  his  legs  sticking  up  in  the  air, 
just  like  a  big  Y,"  and  Sister  laughed 
until  her  eyes  brimmed  over  with  another 
kind  of  tears.     "  Poor  little  chap,  he  was 


sc 
a 
II 
e 


.E 


HOLLYHOCK  LADLES 


45 


until 
cruel, 
to  find 
brother 
he  be- 
see  in 
id  they 
sorry 
e  poor, 
ff   into 
namma 
ring-up 
as  over 
i  in  the 
>uth. 

J    high 
him/' 
musi- 
funny, 
holly- 
le  air, 
Jghed 
lother 
e  was 


so  scared.  At  first  I  was  glad  he  fell, 
and  I  told  him  so;  but  I  did  feel  sorry 
in  a  minute,  for  I  think  he  skinned  his 
elbow,  but  he  wouldn't  own  it." 

"  Oh,  Tm  sorry  you  said  you  were 
glad!'' 

*'  So  am  I,  mamma.  I  think  I  was 
very  cross  to  Brother.  I  even  almost 
hoped  a  bee  would  sting  him,  he  acted 
so  stuck  up.  And  he  didn't  seem  to 
mind  not  going  with  grandfather  at  all. 
Oh,  I'm  so  sorry  I  said  it!  Brother  is 
such  a  dear,  good  little  boy,  and  I  am  so 
bad.  I  wish  I  didn't  mind  things  any 
more  than  Brother  does." 

"Well,  dear,  since  you  have  learned 
your  lesson,  I  don't  regret  your  unhappy 
morning.  You  have  been  angry  and 
jealous  and  cross,  and  you  are  now 
ashamed  of  yourself.  Instead  of  blam- 
ing Brother,  you  have  come  to  see  what 
is  good  in  him  and  bad  in  yourself.  He 
has  a  very  happy  disposition.  I  don't 
think  he  does  mind  things  as  much  as 


46 


TJ/£  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


you  do,  SO  it  is  easy  for  him  to  be 
amiable  and  happy.  But  when  you  con- 
quer your  unkind  feelings,  you  have 
fought  a  good  fight  and  deserve  a  great 
deal  of  credit.  I  am  very  proud  of  my 
little  girl  when  she  rules  herself." 

*'Are  you,  mamma?  I'm  so  glad. 
I'll  try  always  to  be  good  to  him.  I 
think  I'll  ask  him  to  let  me  see  his  poor 
elbow,"  and  Sister  got  upon  her  feet. 

"And  I'll  go  with  you,  for  I  think 
Brother  will  have  to  find  some  other  way 
to  train  the  bees.  I  am  afraid  they  will 
sting  him." 

**  I  don't  know  what  we  can  play  if 
Brother  stops  doing  that." 

**  Perhaps  I  can  find  some  other  play," 
answered  her  mother  as  they  walked  to- 
ward the  sunny  garden  where  they  could 
see  Brother  looking  very  tall  upon  his 
lofty  perch  among  the  old-fashioned 
hollyhocks. 

**What  have  the  bees  been  doing?" 
called  mamma  as  they  came  near. 


1 


<fi 


"They  are  very  bad,  mamma.  They 
buzz  in  and  out  of  the  hollyhocks  and 
kick  the  yellow  stuff  about  so,  and — and 
— well  they  look  so  bold  and  fierce  that 
I'm  pretending  to  put  them  in  jail.  I've 
got  two  tied  in,  and  if  Sister  had  only 
helped  me,  we  could  'a  had  a  lot  of 
prisoners  by  this  time,"  answered  the 
little  man,  looking  rather  tired  and  hot. 

"  But  I  don't  believe  the  poor  chaps 
are  doing  anything  very  bad.  Of  course 
they  look  bold  and  make  a  lot  of  noise, 
but  that  is  just  their  way,  and  I  don't 
really  think  they  should  be  put  into  jail 
for  that,"  mamma  replied. 

"Don't  you?"  he  said,  rather  crest- 
fallen. 

"No,  I  don't.  I  have  known  boys 
and  girls  to  look  bold  and  make  a  lot  of 
noise,  but  I  should  never  think  of  trotting 
them  off  to  jail.  Come  down  and  let  me 
see  your  elbow ;  Sister  tells  me  you  have 
hurt  it." 

Down    came    Brother   from   his   high 


48 


THE  I' ARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


chair  and  slid  his  sleeve  up  past  his  little 
tanned  wrist  to  his  dimpled  white  elbow, 
where  sure  enough  the  skin  was  curled 
up  into  small  shavings. 

* '  Poor  Brother !  ' '  sighed  Sister  softly 
as  she  pressed  her  lips  to  the  hurt. 

*  *  Dear  Sister ! ' '  and  the  arms  went 
quickly  around  her  neck,  and  peace  was 
restored. 

Mamma  looked  at  the  arm  and  said 
the  injury  was  not  a  serious  one.  "And 
now  I  would  let  the  prisoners  out  on 
promise  that  they  will  never  again  disturb 
the  hollyhocks.  Here  are  my  scissors, 
I'll  bend  down  the  stalks  while  you  cut 
the  strings." 

"I'll  ask  them  first.  Bee,  will  you 
promise  never  to  steal  yellow  stuff  again 
if  I  let  you  out?" 

"Tell  him  it's  the  '^Mlvhocks'  money," 
said  Sister. 

"Do  you  k  x^iister  Bee,  that  you 

have  been  steamig  hollyhock  money?" 
in  a  very  gruff  and  terrible  voice. 


H 


i 


IIOLL  YIIO  CK  LA  O/ES 


49 


"I  heard  him  promise;  I  heard  him 
buzz,*'  and  Sister  hopped  gayly  up  and 
down.  **  Out  he  comes !  Oh  ho,  Mister 
Bee!" 

"Come  out,  Mister  Bee,  and  tell  all 
your  friends." 

Snip  went  the  scissors,  up  bounded 
the  stalk,  and  out  flew  the  bee  fuming  and 
scolding. 

The  other  culprit  was  set  free  with  like 
ceremonies. 

' '  What  shall  we  do  now  ? ' '  after  watch- 
ing the  bees  out  of  sight. 

"Well,  if  I  were  a  little  girl  and  boy, 
I- 


I  > 


"Oh  mamma!  How  could  you  be 
both?  Who  ever  heard  of  even  a 
mamma  being  a  little  girl  and  boy?  "  and 
they  seized  her  hands  and  danced  around 
in  high  glee  that  they  had  caught  her  in 
a  trap. 

"But  T  did  not  say  I  could  be  a  little 
girl  and  boy.  I  only  said  if  I  were. 
But  then  maybe  you  don't  care  to  know 

D 


j  !!iiir  J 


50 


TJ/£  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


il! 


what  I  would  do  if  Toosle  should  happen 
along  and  touch  me  on  the  tip  of  my 
nose  with  his  wand,  and  turn  me  into  a 
little  girl  and  bo^ ,  and  mamma  looked 
as  if  under  such  charming  conditions  she 
knew  of  thousands  of  things  she  could 
do,  and  of  millions  of  plr^  j  she  could 
play. 

**0h  yes  we  do,  yes  we  do.  Tell  us, 
tell  us.  You  don't  know  how  hard  it  is 
for  little  girls  and  boys  to  know  what  to 
play  sometimes." 

**  Don't  I  though?  Maybe  I  have 
never  been  a  little  girl." 

**0h,  I  wish  I  had  been  a  little  girl 
when  you  were  one.  I'm  sure  you  had 
such  fun!  "  cried  Sister. 

"Well,  if  I  were  one  this  morning  I 
think  I'd  play — let  me  see  what  I'd  play," 
said  mamma  musingly,  as  if  sorting  over 
a  multitude  of  joys  in  her  mind.  "Yes, 
I  think  as  to-day  is  rather  warm  outside, 
I  would  go  into  the  summer  house  and 
play  hollyhock  ladies." 


HOLLYHOCK  LADLES 


51 


"Oh  mamma,  you  never  told  us  about 
that  play  before.  What  in  the  world  is 
it?" 

"I'll  show  you.  We'll  pick  a  holly- 
hock of  each  shade — here,  toss  them  into 
my  apron — then  we'll  get  some  single 
poppies,  and  some  of  those  little  green 
bells  that  grow  down  by  the  currants; 
and  some  ribbon  grass ;  and  some  thorns 
off  the  honey  locusts — and  then  we'll  go 
to  the  summer  house." 

"Oh,  how  lovely !  Pick  away.  Brother ; 
I  know  it's  going  to  be  a  perfectly 
lovely  play.  I'm  so  glad  I  decided  not 
to  go  with  Aunt  Leashie  and  grand- 
father ! ' '  and  Sister  buzzed  about  among 
the  flowers  like  a  busy  bee  herself. 

"Hadn't  we  better  get  two  of  each 
shade?"  called  Brother. 

"Perhaps  it  would  be  well,"  agreed 
mamma. 

In  a  few  minutes  her  sewing  apron 
looked  quite  baggy  with  its  floral  treasures, 
and  they  turned  to  the  vine-clad  summer 


hil 


house.  In  the  center  stood  a  round  table 
upon  which  they  piled  their  flowers,  and 
then  they  drew  the  chairs  up  around  it. 

**Now,  Brother,  let  me  have  all  the 
string  you  have  in  your  pockets.*' 

**  Hurry,  Brother,  I'm  so  anxious  to 
see  what  mamma  is  going  to  do." 

The  string  was  dragged  out  in  tangled 
little  wads,  and  mamma,  seating  herself, 
picked  out  her  first  blossom,  turned  it 
carefully  inside  out  and  tied  it  about  half 
an  inch  below  the  crown  with  a  bit  of 
string,  which  she  afterward  skillfully 
covered  with  a  ribbon  grass  sash,  and 
stood  it  down  upon  the  table — a  very  fair 
lady  in  a  brilliant  red  silk  gowi.  topped 
by  a  neat  little  round  head. 

*  *  Now  she  must  have  a  parasol  to  pro- 
tect her  complexion.  Give  me  that  little 
red  poppy,  Sister." 

All  the  green  was  picked  off  the  poppy 
and  a  thorn  stuck  into  the  center  and 
fixed  firmly  in  the  lady's  belt,  and  she 
was  ready  to  walk  forth  into  the  world. 


HOLL  YIIOCK  LADIES 


53 


'  *  What  a  beauty !  ' '  Brother  said ; 
"  and  I  believe  we  can  make  men  too." 
"All  right;  make  whatever  you  can." 
Away  he  slipped  and  soon  came  back 
with  his  straw  hat  full  of  flowers .  *  *  These 
are  for  their  legs,"  he  explained,  laying 
down  a  handful  of  the  neatly  rolled  up 
buds  of  morning  glories. 


*  *  Just  the  thing, '  *  said  mamma ;  *  *  your 
men  will  look  like  gay  cavaliers.  If  you 
look  into  the  hollyhocks  you'll  find  that 
some  have  plumes  on  their  heads,  and 
they  will  do  for  the  knights." 

She  laid  down  her  work  and  watched 
Brother.  His  gentleman  turned  out  very 
like  her  lady,  except  that  two  thorns  upon 
which  were  strung  morning  glory  buds 
were  stuck  into  the  gathered  folds  of  the 


54 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


'I 


skirt  which  he  proceeded  to  snip  away 
into  a  doublet.  The  blunt  ends  of  the 
thorns  made  very  decent  feet  upon  which 
the  gallant  knight  did  not  stand  much 
more  unsteadily  than  the  knights  of  old 
often  stood  upon  their  feet.  When  it 
was  done  he  looked  up  brightly  at  his 
mother  for  approval. 

"Isn't  our  dear  little  boy  clever, 
mamma?'*  said  Sister.  **Thatisjust  a 
darling  of  a  man.  Make  a  lot  of  them, 
Brother." 

Thus  praised  he  worked  with  a  will, 
and  Sister  began  to  make  children  out  of 
the  little  green  bells,  which  stood  up 
primly  upon  the  edge  of  their  skirts. 
The  three  worked  away  busily  and  soon 
had  a  fine  array  of  brilliant  ladies,  gentle- 
men, and  children.  And  then  the  gayety 
began.  They  were  formed  into  a  pro- 
cession, marched  to  an  imaginary  ball- 
room, and  stood  up  for  dancing. 

*  *  I  think  they  ought  to  have  a  supper 
after  their  ball,"  said  mamma;   **  and  if 


HOLLYHOCK  LADLES 


55 


you  will  come  to  the  house  with  me, 
Brother,  I  will  give  you  refreshments  for 
our  friends  from  flower  land,  and  enough 
for  you  and  Sister  too,  so  you  can  eat 
with  them.  Sister,  you  can  arrange  the 
supper  hall  while  we  are  away." 

As  they  went  out  of  sight  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  house.  Sister  fell  to  work 
making  ready  for  the  feast.  Sofas  of 
great  soft  pink  roses  were  brought  in  for 
the  hollyhock  ladies  to  tilt  themselves 
against,  while  the  knights  were  stood 
about  a  monstrous  sunflower  which  was 
to  serve  as  a  table,  and  the  prim  little 
green  children  were  grouped  in  a  corner. 
When  all  was  finished  she  threw  herself 
down  upon  a  bench  where  she  could  keep 
her  eyes  upon  the  company,  and  waited 
for  Brother. 

And  now  happened  a  strange  and  won- 
derful thing.  She  was  just  thinking  what 
a  lovely  thing  it  must  have  been  to  live 
in  the  time  of  fairies — to  talk  to  them — 
to 


^^1 


56 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


lilililiNiilli 


Suddenly  she  felt  a  soft  patter  across 
her  bare  foot,  like  raindrops  falling  gently 
upon  it,  and  looking  down,  she  could  not 
believe  her  eyes  when  she  saw,  as  plain 
as  bright  daylight  could  make  it,  the 
dearest,  the  sweetest  little  carriage !  It 
was  made  of  a  softly  tinted  pearl  shell, 
and  drawing  it  were  six  snow-white 
horses,  perfectly  shaped  but  no  larger 
than  mice.  It  was  their  little  black  hoofs 
she  had  felt  on  her  foot. 

She  was  about  to  fall  upon  her  knees 
beside  the  dainty  carriage,  but  she  looked 
again — to  make  sure  that  she  really  was 
looking — when  there,  right  before  her 
very  eyes,  stepping  down  from  the  car- 
riage, was  a  darling  fairy  queen  about  as 
tall  as  her  little  finger. 

"Oh,  you  sweet,  sweet  creature!  I 
know  you;  you  are  a  fairy,  though  I 
never  saw  one  before  in  all  my  life.  Do, 
do  let  me  hold  you  in  my  hand.  Til  be 
very  careful  of  you,  I'll  not  squeeze  you. 
Oh,  if  only  Brother  could  see  you!  " 


i  I 


;iji 


:llli 


HOLLYHOCK  LADIES 


57 


"Brother  will  see  me.  I  have  come  to 
the  ball  you  are  giving  for  my  young 
ladies  and  knights." 

And  there,  sure  enough,  came  troops 
of  fairies,  from  where  Sister  could  not 
tell,  until  one  of  the  young  lady  fairies 
caught  her  high-heeled  slipper  and  pitched 
down  on  her  nose,  and  then  Sister  saw 
that  the  flower  ladies  and  gentlemen  were 
turning  into  fairies  as  fast  as  they  could, 
and  floating  down  from  the  table  to  join 
their  queen. 

' '  I  would  be  sorry  to  go  back  to  fairy- 
land without  having  a  chat  with  Brother, ' ' 
continued  the  queen,  gracefully  gathering 
the  folds  of  her  skirt  together  and  step- 
ping into  Sister's  outstretched  hand ;  *  *  for 
I  want  to  thank  him  for  his  efforts  to 
protect  my  people  from  the  attacks  of 
fierce  bees,  as  they  call  themselves,  though 
they  are  really  goblins  who  were  created 
to  drive  poor  little  girls  and  boys  to  their 
lessons  by  being  held  up  as  examples  of 
industry.    They  are  greedy  creatures,  who 


58 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  I'EOPLE 


suck  all  the  sweetness  out  of  my  flowers, 
and  get  nothing  but  praise  from  short- 
sighted mortals  for  their  industrious  habits. 
He  is  the  first  one  who  has  ever  rightly- 
understood  them,  as  I  saw  by  the  course 
he  took  this  morning.  And  I  was  glad 
to  see  that  you  were  at  last  willing  to  help 
him." 

Sister  could  not  speak.  She  just  sat 
and  looked  at  the  dainty,  the  exquisite 
creature  standing  on  her  palm.  She  was 
afraid  to  move  a  finger  lest  she  should 
crush  her,  and  she  wondered  how  she 
could  so  clearly  hear  every  word  spoken 
by  such  a  mite.     The  queen  went  on : 

*♦  My  brother  Toosle " 

**0h,  are  you  Toosle' s  sister?  We 
know  him  very  well.** 

"Little  girl,'*  with  rather  a  stern  man- 
ner, *' fairy  queens  are  not  accustomed 
to  being  interrupted." 

**  Oh,  please  excuse  me ;  I  was  so  sur- 
prised to  find  that  you  were  Toosle 's 

I  mean  Mister  Toosle*s  sister.*' 


HOLL  YIIOCK  LADIES 


59 


'  *  If  you  were  surprised  that  makes  a 
difference  and  I'll  excuse  you.  But  as  I 
was  about  to  say,  Toosle  and  I  have 
often  talked  of  coming  to  see  you  and 
Brother,  to  ask  you  how  you  would  like 
to  be  assistant  fairy  king  and  queen." 
Sister  gave  a  little  squeal  of  delight  at 
this,  but  seeing  a  gleam  of  severity  come 
into  the  corner  of  the  queen's  eye,  she 
did  not  speak.  **  People  have  an  idea 
that  fairies  are  dying  out,  but  it  is  a  great 
mistake.  They  are  increasing  rapidly. 
And  what  with  choosing  fairy  godmothers 
and  godfathers,  and  sending  fairies  to 
keep  girls  and  boys  out  of  mischief,  and 
to  watch  the  goblins,  really  we  are  often 
so  tired  when  night  comes,  that  no  matter 
how  fine  the  moonlight,  I  am  so  stiff 
and  worn  out,  and  my  head  is  in  such  a 
whirl,  that  I  have  no  heart  to  dance.  So 
you  see  we  need  help.  Then  too  we 
have  often  thought  that  your  friend  Juno 
would  make  a  good  horned  monster,  to 
fight  the— 


>  i 


6o 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


iilBliiil! 


**  Why  mamma,  I  do  believe  Sister  is 
fast  asleep,"  said  Brother  tiptoeing  into 
the  summer  house  and  leaning  over  her. 
**Her  eyes  are  shut  and  she  breathes  just 
as  she  does  at  night." 

*'Poor  little  thing,  she  is  tired  out. 
Let  her  sleep,"  answered  mamma  softly. 


!'!!!l''!|l!l 


ARE  THERE  FAIRIES? 


ik 


i 

1 

■  ": 

ARE  THERE  FAIRIES? 


'ISTER,  I  just  want  to  ask  you, 
do  you  believe  there  are  fair- 
#   /W     ^^^  ^^  grandfather's  farm?" 
^^^  *'Yes,  Brother,  I  do." 

**Why?" 

"Well  now,  Brother!  Do  I 
have  to  tell  you  why?  Didn't  I 
see  the  queen  of  the  fairies  in  the 
summer  house,  with  my  own  eyes?  And 
haven't  we  always  known  about  Toosle? 
And  didn't  Aunt  Leashie  show  us  the 
fairy  path  the  very  first  time  we  ever  went 
through  the  woods  to  Mrs.  Brown's? 
And  haven't  we  this  very  minute  found 
this  big  leaf  which  must  be  a  fairy's  bath- 
tub? Ain't  I  touching  it  with  my  first  fin- 
ger this  very  second "  Sister  stopped 

to   take   breath,   which  gave   Brother   a 
chance  to  say  somewhat  doubtfully : 

63 


64 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


**I  know  Sister — but- 


f  > 


.  •'•?.•. 


"Brother,  I  think  it  is  very  wicked  of 
you  to  say  'but.'  I  should  think  you 
would  almost  be  afraid  to  go  to  sleep  at 
night,  after  asking  me  if  I  believe  there 
are  fairies  anywhere.  I  think  it's  dan- 
gerous." 

Brother  looked  down,  ashamed  to  meet 
Sister's  eyes. 

"Only — sometimes,  you  see — I — I 
just  kind  of — of — wonder " 

**If  you  are  going  to  stand  right  here 
in  the  edge  of  this  lonesome  woods  where 
there  may  be  bears,  almost  out  of  sight 
of  the  house,  and  say  that  you  don't  be- 
lieve in  fairies  any  more,  I  shall  go 
home,"  and  Sister  turned  as  if  to  put 
her  threat  into  execution,  then  looked 
over  her  shoulder  to  add,  "I'm  not  going 
to  stay  here  and  be  turned  into  a  hollow 
stump  maybe,  or  an  old  witch,  and  see 
you  go  hopping  off,  a  big  toad  or  an  ole 
har,  and  neither  of  us  ever,  ever,  ev-er 
be  able  to  speak  to  each  other  again.     It 


ARE   THERE  EAIRIES? 


65 


makes  me  nearly  cry  just  to  think  of  it." 
Coming  back,  "Oh,  Brother,  don't  say 
you  don't  believe  in  fairies  any  more. 
Is  it  Joey  Vale  who  has  been  talking  to 
you?" 

"  Oh  no,  Joey  Vale  has  never  said  a 
word  against  them." 

* '  Then  it  is  that  bad  Tom  Nellis — and 
he  stones  birds,  you  know  he  does." 

"  Yes,  it  was.     He  said " 

*'  Don't  tell  me  what  he  said." 

"  Oh,  of  course  I  don't  believe  him. 
I  just  wanted  to  see  if  you  still  felt  cer- 
tain about  seeing  the  fairy  queen  that 
day  in  the  summer  house.  Because  if 
you  do,  then  I'm  sure;  for  I  guess  you 
know  better  than  he  does  whether  you 
were  asleep." 

"  Does  that  awful  boy  pretend  that  I 
was  asleep?  " 

"  Yes,"  with  a  solemn  nod. 

"Then,  Brother,  I  don't  think  we 
ought  ever  to  go  over  to  the  Nellises  again 
to  play ;  they  never  let  us  hold  their  baby, 

E 


66 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


anyhow.  I  think  mamma  ought  to  forbid 
us  to  speak  to  them,  don't  you?  " 

**Yes,  I  do.  Just  think,  Sister,  he 
said  you  were  a  goose " 

«'0h,  my!  " 

**  And  that  we  were  both  greenies." 

*'0h— h— hi" 

*  *  And  that  he  had  lived  here  all  his 
life,  and  had  never  seen  a  fairy." 

*  *  As  if  fairies  were  likely  to  appear  to 
such  a  boy!  Beverly  has  seen  ole  hars 
which  he  says  weren't  there  when  he 
went  to  hit  them ;  and  he  steals  the  eggs 
you  know.  It  doesn't  take  such  very  good 
people  to  see  ole  hars,  but  people  have 
to  be  very  good  before  they  can  see 
fairies/' 

*'0h,  yes,  they  have  to  be  good, 
awful  good ;  but  we  have  come  pretty  near 
seeing  Toosle  a  few  times.  And  now  I 
feel  sure  that  this  is  a  fairy  bath-tub. 
Let's  go  oft  a  little  way  and  see  if  any  of 
them  come  to  bathe  in  it.  Let's  climb 
that  bent  tree  and  watch  them  from  it." 


ARE   THERE  FAIRIES? 


67 


*  *  The  very  thing !  You  are  such  a 
darling  little  boy.  I  expect  you'll  have 
to  boost  me ;   I'm  not  very  good  at  climb- 

ing. 

"Well,  girls  are  most  always  not,  but 
you  climb  better  than  other  girls — better 
than  Tom  Nellis  could  if  he  was  a  girl, 
I  guess.  Sister,  look!  It's  a  perfect 
Swiss  Family  Robinson  tree!  We'll  go 
up  and  live  in  it.  We've  even  got  Bingo 
along,  and  he  can  be  Turk  and  Bill." 

"Oh,  how  lovely!  You  do  think  of 
such  nice  plays.  Brother.  I'll  go  up  first 
and  you  can  hand  the  things  up  to  me, 
and  I  can  hang  them  where  jackals  and 
things  won't  get  them.  We've  never  had 
half  as  nice  a  play  before." 

Brother  and  Sister,  with  their  ever- faith- 
ful Bingo,  had  started  out  for  a  picnic, 
with  no  orders,  only  that  they  should 
keep  within  sight  of  the  house.  They 
had  a  bountiful  lunch,  and  carried  their 
usual  baggage  which  was,  a  trowel  for 
digging  wells  and  ponds,  a  small  rug  to 


sit  upon  while  they  ate,  and  a  popgun 
as  a  means  of  defense  against  wild  ani- 
mals. These,  with  a  large  supply  of 
string  and  rope,  and  a  hammer,  which 
Brother  always  insisted  upon  taking  "  in 
case  of  accidents,"  and  an  old  milk 
strainer  in  which  to  catch  crawfish, 
should  they  feel  like  taking  up  the  raising 
of  lobsters,  completed  their  outing  lug- 
gage. 

All  this  was  unpacked  from  the  express 
which  had  been  drawn  under  the  tree. 
With  much  scrambling  and  laughter  and 
many  slidings  back  Sister  at  last  gained 
the  perch  she  wished.  It  was  a  great 
limb  which  years  before  had  been  partly 
broken  from  the  trunk,  and  which  had 
thrown  forth  many  upright  branches 
which  now  formed  a  leafy  corridor  along 
which  the  two  little  ones  could 
patter  in  their  bare  feet,  as  happy 
and  as  free  as  the  squirrels  which 
leaped  from  bough  to  bough 
above  them. 


ARE   THERE  FAIRIES? 


69 


<  < 


Is  it  nice?"  called  up  Brother,  his 
cheeks  glowing  and  his  eyes  shining. 

"It  is  per-fectly  lovely,  only  I  seem 
very  high.  Do  you  suppose  I  can  ever 
get  down  again  ? ' ' 

"Oh,  yes;  let  down  the  string" — 
Sister,  through  Brother's  forethought 
had  carried  up  a  bit  of  twine  with  a  peb- 
ble tied  to  the  end — "and  Til  begin  to 
send  up  the  things.  Night  is  coming  on, 
and  the  jackals  may  be  here  any  instant," 
*  he  said  in  as  firm  and  manly  a  voice  as 
he  could  muster  up. 

"Oh,  you  kind  of  scare  me  when  you 
talk  so  fiercely.  I  feel  just  exactly  as  if 
we  had  been  shipwrecked,  and  hadn't 
but  one  minute  before  night  to  get  all 
fixed  up,  and  before  the  wolves  would 
begin  to  howl.  So,  hurry  up.  Brother. 
If  only  we  could  for  once  all  be  ship- 
wrecked !  Shall  I  tie  it  to  a  limb?  Oh, 
dear,  dear,  I've  dropped  the  string!  " 

"There  now!  I  knew  you'd  do 
that!  "  said  Brother  in  a  cross  tone.     He 


70 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


did  not  often  get  out  of  patience,  but  it 
certainly  was  very  trying  after  boosting 
and  hoisting  even  a  thin  girl  up  a  slippery 
tree,  to  have  her  drop  the  string  before  a 
single  piece  of  wreckage  had  been  raised 
to  a  place  of  safety. 

"Well,  please  don't  be  cross  to  me. 
I  was  so  frightened  just  thinking  that 
maybe   you'd  be  eaten  by  wild  animals 


>  > 


*  *  Sister !  Haven't  I  the  gun  ?  ' ' 
"Oh,  yes,  I'm  so  glad;  but  I  forgot 
about  the  gun.  You  climb  up,  dear,  and 
bring  me  the  string ;  I  won't  drop  it  again. 
You  might  play  you  were  a  monkey 
while  you're  climbing,  and  carry  the 
string  in  your  teeth  and  jabber.  Oh, 
how  beautifully  you  do  it !  "  For 
Brother  had  at  once  forgotten  his  griev- 
ance in  the  delight  of  imagining  himself 
a  monkey,  and  he  squeaked  merrily  as  he 
twitched  himself  up  the  tree.  "  Isn't  it 
a  perfect  bower?  Will  we  be  able  to  get 
Bingo  up,  do  you  suppose?  " 


ARE   THERE  FAIRIES? 


71 


*'  Of  course  we  can;  he's  just  longing 
to  climb  up  now.  Look  at  him."  And 
in  truth  Bingo  was  doing  his  best  by 
pawing  up  the  tree  and  barking  shrilly  at 
his  friends. 

Brother  made  the  twine  fast  to  a  twig 
and  then  deftly  swung  himself  down  by 
the  low  drooping  branches,  which  at  the 
far  end  of  the  limb  almost  touched  the 
ground. 

One  after  another  the  things  were 
raised  and  bestowed  in  places  of  safety, 
and  then  it  came  Bingo's  turn.  But  try 
as  they  might,  they  were  unable  to  get 
him  up.  Brother  tied  the  rope  around 
his  *  *  waist ' '  and  lifted  from  below  while 
Sister  pulled  from  above.  But  Bingo's 
terror  was  so  alarming  and  his  yelps  so 
piteous  that,  thinking  they  must  be  kill- 
ing him,  they  quickly  freed  him,  where- 
upon he  took  to  his  heels  and  tore  off 
toward  the  house  with  his  tail  tucked 
tightly  between  his  legs. 

*  *  What  shall  we  do  ?  "  cried  Sister  as 


72 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


she  clasped  her  hands  and  watched  his 
flight.  "  Turk  and  Bill  have  both  gone ! 
We  have  nothing  left  but  your  trusty  gun. 
Come  up  quickly,  Mr.  Swiss  Family,  and 
pull  up  the  ladder  after  you ;  I  hear  the 
howl  of  wolves  in  the  distance !  '  * 

Brother  scrambled  up  in  mad  haste, 
jerking  the  rope  up  after  him,  and  all 
was  made  secure. 

'•  Now  we  will  break  our  fast,"  she 
said,  speaking  in  the  fascinating  language 
of  the  Robinson  family  whom  they  had 
long  loved  and  envied.  "  The  milk  from 
these  fresh  cocoanuts  will  do  for  us  to 
drink  until  we  can  plant  some  tea  and 
cofEee,  or  catch  a  cow."  And  so  on,  as 
Sister  carefully  spread  out  their  lunch  on 
the  broad  limb. 

As  they  ate,  they  listened  to  the  imag- 
inary roars  of  wild  beasts,  or  talked  of 
whether  their  ship  would  go  to  pieces 
before  they  could  get  off  all  the  valua- 
bles. And  they  planned  how,  next  day, 
they  would  drive  Juno  into  the  wood  and 


ARE   THERE  FAIRIES? 


73 


tether  her  under  the  tree,  and  coax  Bingo 
back,  and  bring  Snowball  and  the  two 
pigeons.  With  all  these — and  possibly 
Sol  Brown  and  Joey  Vale — they  could 
be  as  nearly  perfectly  happy  as  children 
who  had  not  actually  been  shipwrecked 
could  expect  to  be. 

During  the  afternoon  Brother  went 
down  many  times  from  the  house  tree, 
and  made  trips  into  the  '  *  jungles ' ' 
around  them  and  along  the  coasts,  always 
bringing  back  reports  of  the  wonderful 
things  he  had  seen,  and  from  these  trips 
he  sometimes  returned  fleeing  as  for  his 
life,  upon  which  he  would  be  helped  to  a 
place  of  safety  by  Sister,  and  after 
which — so  totally  to  them  did  the  real 
give  way  to  the  unreal — they  did  not  fail 
to  ''return  thanks,"  after  the  frequent 
custom  of  the  pious  Swiss  family  which 
they  personated.  Sister  would  gladly 
have  joined  in  these  excursions,  but  she 
could  not  get  quickly  back  into  the  tree 
in  case  of  attack,  so  she  had  to  remain 


n 


74 


yy/A'  KiA'j/'s  irnij-:  PEoriE 


on  high  and  receive  the  spoils  as  they 
were  sent  up  to  her  by  means  of  the  rope. 

It  was  a  long,  long  happy  day,  and 
they  could  scarcely  believe  their  ears 
when  they  heard  the  afternoon  express  go 
shrieking  up  the  valley. 

"  Start  home  the  moment '  '  hear  the 
express  train,"  was  the  ont  ^er  which 
ruled  their  wandering  summer  days,  and 
which  they  never  dreamed  of  disregard- 
ing. So  now  they  made  no  question,  but 
began  to  put  their  things  together  and 
lower  them  to  their  wagon.  Everything 
was  down  at  last,  even  Sister,  who,  with 
moans  and  timid  cries,  had  slid  down  the 
trunk,  and  they  were  about  to  turn  their 
faces  homeward,  when  she  cried  out : 

*'  Oh,  my  hat!  I  have  left  my  hat  in 
the  tree.  Can  you  get  it  for  me, 
Brother?" 

"Course  I  can  get  it!  But,  Sister, 
you  oughtened  to  leave  your  hats  in  trees. 
Now  we'll  be  late,  and  mamma  will  think 
we're  lost  again.' 


I » 


ARE   THERE  EAIRIES? 


75 


Up  the  tree  he  went,  rather  slowly  this 
time,  for  his  many  climbs  had  wearied 
him,  and  made  his  way  along  the  limb  to 
where  the  hat  was  hanging. 

"  Catch  it!  "  he  called,  as  he  tossed  it 
down. 

But  alas,  poor  Brother !  He  leaned  a 
little  too  far  to  fling  it  clear  of  the 
branches,  and  losing  his  balance,  came 
crashing  through  and  fell  at  Sister's  feet. 
He  did  not  move. 

"  Oh,  Brother!  "  she  screamed,  as  she 
threw  herself  beside  him. 

He  lay  with  closed  eyes  and  did  not 
answer  her  for  what  seemed  to  her  a  very, 
very  long  time.  Then  his  eyelids  trem- 
bled and  slowly  lifted,  and  he  looked  at 
her  in  a  dazed  way,  trying  to  smile. 

**0h,  darling,  darling,  where  are  you 
hurt?     Do  speak  to  me!  " 

He  put  his  grimy  little  hand  into  hers 
and  answered  slowly : 

"Don't — cry.      I — I    just    ache — all 


over. 


>  f 


76 


TIfE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


**  Oh,  Brother,  do  you  think  your  back 
is  broken,  like  the  man's  who  fell  off  the 
wharf  ?  Can  you  sit  up  ?  Let  me  put 
you  into  the  express  and  pull  you  home. 
Oh,  dear,  dear !  It  is  all  my  fault.  I 
made  you  go  back  for  my  hat." 

**  That's  no  matter.  Maybe  I  can 
walk;   I'll  try." 

But  when  with  Sister's  help  he  tried  to 
get  up,  he  sank  back  with  a  cry  of  pain, 
into  a  little  heap  upon  the  ground. 

**You  must  go  home  without  me.  I 
can't  get  into  the  wagon." 

**  Oh,  I'll  never,  never  go  home  again. 
I  won't  leave  you!  "  and  she  gave  way 
to  another  flood  of  tears. 

**  But  mamma  will  be  anxious." 

**  Mamma  would  never  want  me  to 
leave  you.  Oh,  I  wish  I  had  fallen  out 
of  the  tree!  I  will  put  the  rug  under 
you.     Do  you  think  it  is  your  leg?  " 

**  No,  I  don't  think  so — it's — all  over 


me. 


1 1 


But  pulling  the  poor  little  man  upon 


ARE   THERE  EAIRfES? 


11 


the  rug  made  him  moan  and  beg  her  to 
leave  him  where  he  had  fallen.  And 
then  Sister's  heart  seemed  to  break. 
His  lips  were  white  and  the  beads  of 
moisture  stood  on  his  :  rehead  and  damp- 
ened his  yellow  hair.  A  line  from  a 
song  which  her  mother  often  sang  came 
into  her  mind : 

The  death  damp  was  on  his  pure  white  brow. 

She  was  sure  he  was  dying.  They 
had  been  happy  and  loving  little  people, 
and  yet — ah,  she  could  not  help  remem- 
bering— there  had  been  times  when  she 
had  "got  mad"  at  Brother.  Once  she 
had  even  pinched  him ;  several  times  she 
had  pushed  him  and  slapped  him ;  once 
she  had  even  hoped  a  bee  would  sting 
him.  Oh,  those  terrible  memories  !  She 
sobbed  so  bitterly  that  the  little  boy  turned 
stiffly  and  put  a  loving  arm  around  her, 
as  she  lay  beside  him  with  her  face  to  the 
ground. 

"  Dear  Sister,  don't  cry." 


78 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


**  I  can't  help  it,  Brother;  I've  often 
been  so  bad  to  you,  I — I — I've  slapped 
you  a  good  many  times.  I  was  cross  to 
you  this  morning  about  the  fairies.  And 
now  you  are  going  to  die,  because  I  made 
you  fall  out  of  the  tree.  And  if  you  die 
I  want  to  die  too  ! ' ' 

**  But  maybe  I  won't  die;  perhaps  I'll 
just  have  to  have  my  arms  and  legs  cut 
off,"  suggested  Brother  with  a  view  to 
cheering  his  sister. 

'*  No,  dear;  I  think  you  are  going  to 
die.  You  are  as  white  as  snow,"  she 
answered  with  the  frankness  of  childhood. 
**  Oh,  if  only  1  could  scream  loud  enough 
to  make  them  hear  at  the  house !  Shall 
I  run  to  the  edge  of  the  woods  and  try?  " 

'*  Yes." 

She  kissed  him  tenderly  and  then  sped 
away.  She  ran  out  clear  of  the  trees  and 
called.  She  stood  upon  her  tiptoes  and 
shouted  out  first  one  name  and  then 
another,  at  the  top  of  her  voice.  But 
no  one  answered.     She  saw  grandfather 


u 


ARE   THERE  EAIRIES? 


79 


come  home  from  the  post  office  and  go 
into  the  house  ;  she  saw  Sally  come  out 
of  the  kitchen  and  get  an  armful  of  wood 
and  then  go  back.  They  both  looked 
very,  very  far  away.  It  was  no  use  to 
try.     They  would  not  hear  her. 

"  I  can't  make  any  one  hear  ;  111  not 
leave  you  again  all  alone." 

"  Except  for  the  fairies,  Sister." 

'  *  The  fairies  might  help  us  if  they  only 
knew  about  you.  But  why  do  you  keep 
your  eyes  shut,  dear  ?  " 

**  I  don't  know,  only  it  rests  me.  I 
feel — kind  of  tired — I  guess  I  want — to 

go  to  sleep — I  think  it  is  night — I " 

He  became  silent. 

*'  Oh,  he  is  dying,  I  know  he  is," 
wept  the  wretched  little  girl,  as  she  gently 
lifted  his  head  into  her  lap  and  watched 
his  quiet  face. 

Suddenly  the  blue  eyes  opened,  and  he 
exclaimed  sharply, 

*  *  Sister !  did  you  see  him  ?  ' ' 

' '  Who  ?     Where  ?     Grandfather  ?  ' ' 


8o 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


"  No,  not  grandfather — Toosle." 

*'  Where,  Brother,  oh,  where  ?  " 

**  Right  here.  He's  gone  now;  but 
he  said,  '  Why  don't  you  wave  a  flag  ? 
Shipwrecked  people  always  wave  flags 
and  shoot  off  cannons.'  " 

"  But  we  haven't  any  flags  or  cannons. 
It  is  quite  light  out  of  the  woods,  and  I 
know  I  could  make  them  see  a  flag  if 
only  I  had  one." 

They  were  both  silent  a  moment,  then 
Brother  said,  with  3ome  of  his  usual  en- 
ergy : 

"  Take  off  your  white  apron  and  tie  it 
to  the  gun,  and  go  out  and  wave  it  and 
wave  it !  " 

**  Oh,  Brother,  you  always  know  just 
what  to  do !  I'll  come  back  just  the 
minute  I  can." 

**What  dat  w'ite  t'ing  a-bobbin'  up 
an'  down  ober  dere  by  de  woods?" 
asked  Randolph  of  Beverly  as  the  two 
boys  came  up  from  the  cornfields. 


n;ri^^:» 


ARE   THERE  FAIRIES? 


8i 


**  I  dun  know.  Looks  like  some  trick 
ob  de  chillun,  tryin'  to  make  us  b'lieve 
it'saghos'.*' 

**Well,  it's  a-wavin'  at  us,  whatever 
'tis.     It  sutt'nly  is  a-wavin'  " 

"  Deir  ma  dun  know  if  dey  be  in  de 
woods  so  late." 

**  Ho,  dey  nebber  know  when  it  gits 
late.  I  reckon  we  better  go  'roun'  dat 
way  an'  bring  'em  home." 


'*  Oh,  boys,  come,  come  quick  I  Hurry, 
huny !  Brother  fell  out  of  a  tree,  and  I 
can't  get  him  home." 

The  boys  quickened  their  pace  to  a 
run,  and  were  soon  hastening  with  Sister 
to  where  poor  Brother  lay. 

It  was  easy  work  for  Randolph  to  lift 
him  in  his  strong  arms  and  carry  him 
steadily  homeward.  Sister  became  very 
gay  in  the  sudden  deliverance  which  had 
come,  and  she  walked  ahead  with  the 
**flag"  over  her  shoulder,  trying  to 
make  Brother  laugh  by  showing  him  how 


82 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


she  had  waved  it  to  the  boys ;  and  Bev- 
erly, who  came  behind  with  the  baggage, 
toid  him  they  ' '  come  powerful  near  run- 
nin',"  thinking  it  was  a  ghost. 

The  company  was  seen  by  the  family, 
and  mamma  and  the  aunts  came  hurrying 
to  meet  it,  while  Bingo  penitently  came 
behind.  And  so  Brother  was  taken  home 
and  laid  upon  a  heap  of  cushions  on  the 
sofa.  Loving  hands  ministered  to  him, 
and  grandfather,  who  in  his  early  years 
had  studied  to  be  a  doctor,  made  a  care- 
ful examination,  and  soon  told  them  that 
no  bones  were  broken,  but  that  the  mus- 
cles of  the  back  were  strained  by  the  fall 
and  that  he  was  badly  bruised. 

A  warm  bath  and  a  gentle  rubbing 
soon  relieved  him  of  much  of  the  pain, 
and  the  poor  little  man  was  able,  from 
his  couch,  to  join  with  Sister  in  the  lively 
story  of  their  day's  doing.  Her  spirits 
had  risen  almost  beyond  control  when  she 
found  that  Brother  was  still  to  be  spared 
to  them,  and  she  gave  a  funny  account  of 


m 


ARE   THERE  FAIRIES? 


83 


the  rise  and  downfall  of  the  "  Swiss 
Family  Robinson,"  adding  extra  touches 
as  she  noticed  Brother's  enjoyment. 

"Well,  I  am  certain  of  one  thing," 
said  grandfather.  "  If  ever  Brother  is 
shipwrecked  he'll  know  just  what  to  do. 
It  isn't  every  boy  with  the  breath  knocked 
out  of  him,  and  his  back  all  strained, 
who  would  think  to  have  his  sister  tie  her 
apron  on  his  popgun  and  wave  it  for  a 
flag  of  distress." 

'*  Oh,  but  I  didn't  think  of  it,  grand- 
father. It  was  Toosle  who  told  me  to 
do  it,"  said  Brother,  getting  up  on  his 
elbow.  "You  see  I  seemed  to  go  to 
sleep,  and  there  he  was,  just  squealing 
at  me  to  wave  a  flag.  He  was  such  a 
funny  looking  little  fellow !  " 

"And  now.  Brother,  you  have  seen 
Toosle,  and  I  have  seen  the  fairy  queen, 
and  so  now  we  know  that  there  are  fairies 
on  grandfather's  farm,  eh,  Brother  ?  " 


THE  PARTY 


\. 


THE  PARTY 


\ 


0,  thank  you,  I  won't  get  out.  I 
must  be  at  home  before  dark.  I 
only  drove  around  to  ask  if  you 
would  send  the  children  over  to 
Fair  View  to-morrow.  My  nieces 
from  Baltimore  are  with  us,  and  the 
Beldon  children  are  coming ;  so  are  sev- 
eral families  nearer  us,  and  we'll  have 
quite  a  party.  Send  them  in  the  morn- 
ing and  let  them  stay  until  evening." 

**  Oh,  thank  you.  The  children  will 
be  more  than  glad  to  go.  It  will  be  a 
delightful  day  for  them.  Won't  it,  chil- 
dren?" 

They  could  only  clutch  each  other's 
hands  and  gasp  out :  "I  should  think  so  ! 
Thank  you  for  asking  us,  Miss  Kate." 

Then  Miss  Kate  leaned  out  and  shook 
hands   with   mamma,  left  her   love   for 

87 


88 


THE  l ARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


grandfather  and  the  aunties,  kissed  her 
hand  to  the  children  and  drove  away. 

'*  We're  go-ing  over  to  Fair  View, 
we're  go-ing  over  to  Fair  View !  *'  chanted 
Sister  in  rhythmical  measure  as  she  skip- 
ped off  across  the  lawn  toward  the  sun- 
set, her  long  fair  hair  streaming  out  over 
her  shoulders  as  she  went. 

**  We're  go-ing  over  to  Fair  View, 
we're  go-ing  over  to  Fair  View !  "  chant- 
ed Brother,  a  yard  or  two  behind  her. 

**  We'll  cross  the  yawning  valley!" 
came  from  Sister. 

'  *  And  we'll  cross  the  yawning  valley ! ' ' 
echoed  Brother. 

The  children  held  a  belief  that  they  al- 
ways felt  like  yawning  while  crossing  a 
certain  valley. 

**  And  we'll  ride  on  Lou-ey's  po-nee," 
came  Sister's  voice  from  the  far  edge  of 
the  lawn. 

**Yes,  we'll  ri-hide  on  Lou-ey's  po- 
nee!"  echoed  Brother  again,  growing  a 
little  short  of  breath. 


TlfE  PARTY 


89 


( ( 


Are  you  getting  out  of  breath, 
Brother?  '*  skipping  lightly. 

"Yes,  in-deed  I — h — am,  Sister." 

"Then  with  a  hop  we'll  stop,  Broth- 
er," and  circling  around  on  one  foot, 
closely  followed  by  Brother,  she  dropped 
upon  the  grass. 

"The  very  next  thing  to  being  a 
fairy,"  she  said  in  her  everyday  tone. 
"  I'd  as  soon  go  to  Miss  Kate's  to  spend 
the  day." 

"I'd  even  rather  than  to  be  a  fairy. 
Because,  you  know,  if  you're  a  fairy — 
well — even  if  you  are  a  fairy,  boys — 
that  is  bad  boys,  like  the  Nellises — don't 
believe  you  are,  and  then  it's  just  the 
same  as  if  you  wasn't." 

"  It's  a  blessing  that  the  Nellises  won't 
be  there." 

"I  should  think  it  is."  Then  rather 
gloomily,  "  Sister,  do  you  think  the 
strange  girls  will  be  stuck  up  ?  " 

"No,  I  do  not  think  they  will  be;  but 
if  they  are,       '11  have  to  talk  graund." 


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90 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


Talking  grand — or  graund,  as  they  pro- 
nounced it,  to  give  it  a  more  elegant 
sound — was  the  using  of  a  very  haughty 
tone  by  Sister  and  a  deep  and  manly 
tone  by  Brother.  They  usually  "talked 
graund  ' '  when  they  played  *  *  lady  come 
to  see,"  and  also  when  they  were  with 
children  whom  they  stood  somewhat  in 
awe  of;  and  the  practice  had  been  in- 
vented by  Sister  as  a  means  of  support- 
ing their  dignity  when  they  felt  it  to  be 
in  peril. 

**  Why  are  you  two  little  toads  sitting 
there  in  the  grass  ?  ' '  called  grandfather 
as  he  came  home  from  the  post  office,  and 
stopped  to  look  toward  them,  shading  his 
eyes  from  the  level  rays  of  the  setting 
sun  with  his  hand. 

**Just  think,  grandfather,"  springing 
up  and  running  to  him  with  outstretched 
arms,  **  we  are  invited  to  a  party  at  Miss 
Kate's,  and  it  is  to  last  all  day,  from 
the  morning  until  sunset.  We  wish  you 
were  a  little  boy  so  you  could  go  too." 


THE  PARTY 


91 


**  Maybe  I  can  go  even  if  I  am  not  a 
little  boy,"  said  grandfather.  **You 
don't  think  Miss  Kate  would  send  me 
home,  do  you?  " 

"  Oh,  grandfather,  just  think  of  a 
grown-up  gentleman  being  sent  home!" 

**Well,  I  suppose  you'll  want  some- 
thing to  eat,  even  if  you  are  going  to  a 
party  to-morrow,  so  you  had  much  better 
come  in  to  your  supper,  and  then  we'll 
arrange  how  to  get  you  there  and  back." 

**  Grandfather,"  began  Sister  rather 
timidly,  '  *  would  you  and  mamma  and  the 
aunties  be  willing  to  let  us  take  old  Char- 
ley and  drive  all  alone  to  Miss  Kate's?  " 

Grandfather  looked  rather  doubtful  at 
this  and  made  his  mouth  look  as  though 
he  were  going  to  whistle.  **  I  don't 
know  about  that." 

"I'm  sure  dear  old  Charley  would  not 
run  away  with  us,"  urged  Brother. 

"Oh  no,  he  would  not  run  away; 
there  would  be  more  danger  of  his  stand- 
ing still  with  you." 


'■^\ 


'I 


92 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


**  But  I  could  get  out  and  pull  him." 

*  *  And  I  could  lean  over  the  dash- 
board and  push  him.'* 

Grandfather  laughed.  **  I'm  afraid  it 
would  be  too  much  of  a  responsibility  for 
two  such  little  people." 

*  *  But,  grandfather,  that  is  just  what 
we  would  like.  All  my  life  I've  wanted 
to  take  Brother  on  a  journey  where  I'd 
have  all  the — the  re-spons'bility  of  him. 
He  could  get  out  often  and  look  at  the 
buckles  and  wheels." 

*  *  But  what  if  Charley  should  decide  to 
stop  and  rest  just  as  you  were  cross- 
ing the  yawning  valley,  and  you  should 
sit  and  yawn  at  each  other  until  you  went 
to  sleep,  and  Charley  went  to  sleep,  and 
none  of  you  would  wake  until  evening, 
and  the  party  would  be  over." 

'*  Oh,  how  perfectly  awful  that  would 
be!" 

After  talking  over  the  proposed  drive 
in  all  its  lights,  it  was  finally  decided 
that  it  would  be  quite  safe  for  the  chil- 


THE  PARTY 


93 


dren  to  take  old  Charley  and  drive  them- 
selves as  far  as  Mrs.  Vale's  the  next 
morning,  where  they  would  pick  Joey  up, 
and  with  him  make  the  rest  of  the  jour- 
ney to  Fair  View,  two  miles  farther  on. 

Many  were  the  charges  and  warnings 
given  to  them  as  they  started.  The  two 
little  ones  were  kissed  and  hugged  and 
as  many  good-byes  spoken  as  if  they 
were  starting  for  a  journey  around  the 
world.  Indeed  a  journey  around  the 
world  could  hardly  have  impressed  them 
more  deeply.  All  things  seemed  to  com- 
bine to  begin  the  festive  day  well.  The 
sun  shone  brightly,  the  birds  sang. 
Brother  was  as  well  as  if  he  had  never 
been  the  head  of  the  Swiss  Family  Rob- 
inson, Sister  had  had  most  radiant  dreams 
all  night,  and  old  Charley  was  in  his 
kindliest  humor. 

"  You  had  better  go  down  past  the 
barn,  so  Charley  can  drink  at  the  branch ; 
then  he  will  not  want  to  stop  at  any  of 
the  other   drinking   places.     Sister   will 


94 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


drive  as  far  as  the  crooked  oak,  then 
Brother  will  take  his  turn  and  drive  to 
Mrs.  Vale's.  And  you  had  better  leave 
Bingo  there  until  you  come  back,  be- 
cause he  might  want  to  fight  dogs  along 
the  way." 

The  children  promised  to  remember 
and  obey  all  directions,  and  the  wheels 
began  to  turn  slowly  along  the  grassy 
carriage  way,  which  led  across  the  upper 
part  of  the  vineyard,  and  down  a  long 
slope  at  the  foot  of  which  ran  a  little 
brook,  or  "  branch,"  as  such  is  called  in 
Virginia.  In  this  Charley  dearly  loved 
to  drink  and  meditate,  with  his  feet  firmly 
planted  among  the  pebbles  and  the  clear 
water  running  over  them.  Sometimes  he 
stood  so  long  that  Brother  more  than 
once  had  been  obliged  to  climb  out  over 
the  back  of  the  buggy  and  wade  around 
to  his  head  and  lead  him  to  land.  He 
was  always  forgiven  for  these  failures,  as 
his  little  friends  believed  that  when  he 
*  *  went   in   wading   he    got  to   thinking 


THE  PARTY 


95 


about  when  he  was  a  colt  and  forgot  all 
about  being  a  horse." 

But  this  morning  it  would  be  rather  a 
serious  thing  if  he  were  to  forget,  as 
Brother  had  on  shoes  and  stockings  and 
his  best  white  sailor  suit.  So  they  used 
all  the  time  between  the  house  and  brook 
planning  what  to  do  should  he  stop  in 
the  brook. 

And  sure  enough,  Charley  did  stop,  and 
he  seemed  to  forget  even  more  completely 
than  usual.  He  must  have  thought  over 
each  of  his  coltish  days  separately. 
Brother  was  just  about  to  undress  his  feet 
when  he  was  much  relieved  to  see  coming 
along  the  road  an  old  man.  The  old  man 
saw  their  trouble  and  turned  into  the  field. 

"  Can't  you  make  your  horse  go  ?  " 

'*  No,  sir;  and  I've  got  my  shoes  and 
stockings  and  my  good  clothes  on,  and 
so  I  can't  wade  in  to  pull  him  out." 

*  *  And  can  two  such  little  girls  drive 
about  alone  ?  " 

They   were   carefully  tucked  under   a 


96 


THE  FAR  APS  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


linen  carriage  robe  to  protect  them  from 
dust,  so  Brother's  trousers  were  hidden 
from  view,  and  the  long,  light  hair  hang- 
ir  g  about  his  chubby  face  made  him  look 
as  much  like  a  girl  as  like  a  boy.  Still, 
a  boy's  heart  beat  within  his  bosom,  and 
it  was  not  in  a  boy's  nature  to  let  such  a 
mistake  go.  So  he  said  in  a  polite  and 
formal  manner : 

**  You  misunderstand  me,  sir;  I  am  a 
boy." 

But  the  old  gentleman  must  have  been 
very  deaf,  for  he  replied  smilingly : 

**  Well,  I'm  nigh  on  to  eighty  years, 
and  I  never  saw  two  such  pretty  little 
girls  before." 

Poor  Brother  looked  sad,  and  was 
about  to  explain  further,  when  Sister 
nudged  him,  and  whispered  to  him  not 
to  mind,  then  piped  out  shrilly :  *  *  We  are 
going  to  a  party,  sir,  and  we  are  not  in 
our  bare  feet,  so  we  can't  go  into  the 
water,  and  we  will  be  very  glad  if  you 
will  please  pull  him  out  for  us." 


THE  PARTY 


97 


( ( 


Yes,  that  is  what  I  came  to  do." 
And  he  hooked  the  bent  head  of  his  cane 
into  Charley's  bridle  and  led  him  ashore. 
**  You  had  better  not  let  him  go  into  any 
more  water,  and  drive  carefully.  Good- 
bye, little  ladies." 

**  Good-bye,  sir,  and  thank  you  very 
much." 

They  began  again  their  slow  forward 
movement,  but  Brother  objected :  **  Sister, 
you  ought  to  have  let  me  explain ;  now 
he  will  always  think  I  am  a  girl." 

At  the  foot  of  every  little  rise  of  ground 
Charley  stopped  to  rest,  and  again  at  the 
top.  At  each  of  these  pauses,  which 
his  loving  little  friends  thought  were 
necessary  in  order  to  restore  his  breath 
and  strength,  they  bemoaned  their  weight 
and  wondered  if  they  were  driving  him  too 
fast.  At  last  a  turn  in  the  road  brought 
them  in  sight  of  the  Vale  farmhouse,  and 
they  were  glad  to  see  Joey  (to  whom 
word  had  been  sent)  standmg  in  the  road 
and  waving  for  them  to  hurry. 


98 


THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


*' Joey  has  on  shioes  and  stockings," 
said  Brother  aghast. 

"  Red  stockings,"  added  Sister. 

"  He  is  awfully  dressed  up.  I  didn't 
know  he  had  shoes  or  stockings,  did 
you?" 

**  No;  and  I  do  hope  he  won't  seem 
proud  with  us.  Tm  more  afraid  of  him, 
though  he  always  seems  an  awfully  big 
boy.     I'm  almost  sorry  we  came." 

**  Never  mind.  Sister;  I'll  tell  him 
about  the  quail's  nest  that  we  have  most 
found,  and  that  will  make  him  think  we 
are  rather  big." 

But  in  spite  of  their  fears,  Joey  greeted 
them  in  a  m"ost  cordial  and  gay  manner. 

He  looked  overheated  and  crowded 
into  his  clothes,  and  his  hands  and  face 
had  rather  a  puffy  look  from  the  un- 
wonted collar  and  cuffs  out  of  which  they 
came.  He  hastily  climbed  into  the  buggy 
between  them. 

'*  It  was  very  good  of  your  grandfather 
to  have  you  stop  for  me.' 


» > 


THE  PARTY 


99 


This  remark  made  the  spirits  of  the 
children  go  up  with  a  bound.  Joey  was 
not  acting  at  all  as  if  he  had  shoes  and 
stockings  on,  or  as  if  he  thought  them  too 
small  to  drive  all  the  way  alone.  They 
drove  happily  along  the  shady  river  road 
listening  to  all  that  Joey  had  to  say  with 
great  respect,  and  at  times  even  forget- 
ting that  he  was  not  bare-footed.  Joey 
almost  forgot  his  hot  red  knitted  stock- 
ings and  stiff  shoes  himself  in  his  glad 
anticipations — and  anticipations  must  be 
pleasant  indeed  when  they  can  make  a 
boy  who  runs  in  his  bare  feet  eight 
months  out  of  twelve  forget  that  he  is 
shod. 

If  there  were  two  general  favorites  in 
the  neighborhood,  they  were  Miss  Kate 
Fair  and  Joey  Vale,  and,  as  is  not  always 
the  case  with  favorites,  they  liked  each 
other  just  as  well  as  every  one  'else  liked 
them.  So  when  Miss  Kate  decided  to 
give  a  party  the  first  person  she  thought 
of  was  Joey,  for,  as  she   said,   '*  How 


lOO       THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


could  any  one  do  anything  unless  Joey 
was  on  hand  to  start  it  ?  " 

As  old  Charley  turned  into  the  avenue 
and  his  sorrel  head  was  now  and  again 
visible  through  the  trees,  he  was  espied 
by  the  waiting  group  upon  the  wide  porch, 
and  those  he  brought  were  ho  sd  by  the 
gayly  waved  handkerchief  of  Miss  Kate 
and  the  shouts  of  welcome  from  the 
children  who  clustered  around  her. 

**  We  have  just  been  waiting  for  you," 
said  Miss  Kate  as  she  came  down  the 
steps  to  help  Sister  and  Brother  out. 
**  We  were  afraid  you  were  not  coming. 
Joey,  please  drive  around  to  the  stable 
and  you  will  find  Jim  there  to  take  the 
horse,  and  then  hurry  back,  for  we  are 
waiting  to  go  down  to  the  willows." 

By  the  time  Joey  got  back  Brother  and 
Sister  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  Baltimore  girls  were  not  **  stuck  up," 
and  they  and  the  Beldon  children  had 
said  *  *  Well !  "  to  each  other  rather 
shyly,  and  Tommy  Beldon  had  punched 


Brother  In  the  back,  so  it  looked  as  if 
they  were  going  to  have  a  very  good  time 
indeed.  The  willows  bordered  a  little 
stream  which  wandered  through  the  low- 
lands, and  when  they  reached  them,  the 
sandy  earth  under  them  looked  so  cool, 
and  the  water  sparkled  so  invitingly  that 
soon  a  heap  of  loose  shoes  and  stockings 
showed  how  strong  the  temptation  to  go  in 
wading  was,  and  splashing  and  laughter 
was  heard  up  and  down  the  stream. 

'*Joey,  I  should  feel  so  much  more 
comfortable  if  only  you  were  in  with 
them,"  Miss  Kate  was  kind  enough  to 
say,  as  she  saw  him  eying  them  envi- 
ously. "  Do  take  off  your  shoes  and 
stockings  and  roll  up  your  trousers  and 
go  in  too."  Joey  needed  no  urging,  and 
he  was  soon  heading  the  line. 

As  soon  as  she  had  seen  her  little 
guests  busy,  she  began  the  laying  of  the 
dinner  table  under  the  trees,  with  the 
solid,  comfortable  meal  which  she  knew 
they  would  soon  be  ready  for. 


I02       THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


After  dinner  was  eaten — just  as  had 
been  hoped — Louey  Fair's  pony  was 
brought  and  each  child  had  a  ride  on  its 
broad,  hot  back,  and  then  Sister  and 
Brother,  being  the  greatest  strangers, 
were  allowed  to  ride  up  to  the  house, 
where  they  were  to  go,  to  be  out  of  the 
afternoon  sun.  Once  there  a  grand  romp 
began  in  the  wide,  old-fashioned  halls 
and  in  the  empty  rooms,  for,  as  in  many 
another  Virginia  home,  there  were  plenty 
of  empty  rooms  in  the  Fair  mansion. 

It  was  a  wildly  happy  afternoon,  what 
with  playing  "  hide  and  seek  "  in  closets, 
under  stairways,  and  behind  generous 
doors,  races  along  the  porch  which  en- 
circled the  whol'^  house,  and  "lost  my 
glove  yesterc"  %  found  it  to-day,"  on  the 
lawn.  Indeed  t  a  fun  grew  so  fast  and 
furious  that  Brc  .er  lost  his  head  and  for 
the  first  time  in  his  life  did  a  really  bad 
thing.  When  he  was  running  around  the 
ring  to  drop  the  glove,  instead  of  drop- 
ping it  in  proper  form  behind  Sissie  Bel- 


THE  PARTY 


103 


5 

S 

y 
It 

LS 


don,  he  seized  her  by  the  ankles  and 
pulled  her  feet  from  under  her,  causing 
poor  Sissie  to  fall  flat  upon  her  small  pug 
nose.  Of  course  he  was  very  sorry  as 
soon  as  he  had  done  it  and  kissed  Sissie' s 
bumped  nose,  and  tried  to  wipe  the  tears 
from  her  eyes  with  his  own  handkerchief, 
in  which  he  had  early  in  the  day  wrapped 
(and  forgot)  a  crawfish  to  take  home 
with  him  to  be  used  in  the  lobster  dam. 
But  Sissie  saw  its  little  claws  through  her 
tears,  and  shrieked  piteously. 

Then  later,  one  of  the  Beldon  boys 
broke  the  string  of  coral  beads  around  the 
neck  of  one  of  the  Baltimore  girls,  and 
another  boy  dragged  Sister  so  forcibly 
from  a  hiding-place  that  he  nearly  ripped 
the  skirt  from  her  waist,  and  she  bristled 
with  pins  for  the  rest  of  the  day.  At 
one  moment,  after  all  these  outrages,  it 
looked  as  if  the  party  was  going  to  be  a 
failure,  for  the  girls  all  declared  that,  ex- 
cept Joey  Vale,  worse  boys  had  never 
been  allowed  to  attend  a  party,  and  that 


they  would  not  play  with  them  any  more. 
At  this  all  the  boys  pretended  to  cry  in 
loud  voices,  and  wiped  their  tears  on 
their  hats  and  elbows,  and  altogether 
were  so  witty,  that  in  spite  of  themselves, 
the  girls  had  to  laugh,  and  harmony  was 
so  fully  restored  that  each  promised  not 
to  **tell  on  them"  when  they  got  home. 
After  that  Miss  Kate  gathered  her 
guests  about  her  on  the  grass  and  told 
them  the  most  lovely  stories,  until  Bobby 
Beldon,  to  his  sister's  sickening  shame, 
interrupted  her  to  declare  that  he  was  just 
starving.  At  this  Miss  Kate  marched 
them  into  the  dining  room  to  a  real  South- 
ern supper,  to  which,  in  spite  of  the 
blame  heaped  upon  Bobby  for  his  im- 
politeness, they  all  did  fullest  justice. 
When  they  came  out  from  it,  revived  in 
body  and  spirit,  they  fell  to  playing  **  Old 
Bloody  Tom  * '  until  the  gathering  shades 
of  evening  gave  such  reality  to  the  play 
that  it  was  too  much  for  the  timid  ones, 
and  Miss  Kate  had  to  call  a  halt  and 


THE  PARTY 


105 


make  them  quiet  down.     Then  she  and  •.; 
Joey  began  to  sing  very  sweetly : 

Come,  come,  come,  come  to  the  sunset  tree, 

The  day  is  past  and  gone, 
The  woodman's  axe  lies  free, 

And  the  reaper's  work  is  done. 


And  one  little  voice  after  another  joined 
in,  as  the  children  gathered  close  to- 
gether. They  were  still  singing  simple, 
childish  songs  as  the  various  carriages 
came  to  bear  them  to  their  homes. 

When  Sister  and  Brother  reached  Mrs. 
Vale's  they  found  Randolph  waiting  to 
take  Joey's  place,  and  they  were  very 
willing  to  leave  the  rest  of  the  journey  to 
his  care. 

Grandfather,  mamma,  and  the  aunties, 
were  waiting  outside  the  brightly  lighted 
home  to  receive  them.  As  they  were 
tenderly  lifted  out  of  the  buggy  it  seemed 
many  a  day  since  the  morning,  and  they 
were  quite  awestruck  to  find  that  it  was 
nine  o'clock. 


io6       THE  FARM'S  LITTLE  PEOPLE 


It  was  late  when  they  woke  next  morn- 
ing and  a  soft  rain  was  falling,  so  that 
play,  anywhere  but  in  the  house,  was 
quite  out  of  the  question.  Sister  was 
very  weary  from  the  previous  day's  pleas- 
ure, and  sat  most  of  the  morning  with 
her  beloved  white  kitten  sleeping  on  her 
lap.  Brother  went  away  to  the  library, 
where  grandfather  found  him  * '  printing  * ' 
in  very  neat  letters  with  a  pencil. 

"What  are  you  writing.  Brother?" 
he  asked. 

"  I  am  writing  a  fable,  grandfather.  I 
will  read  it  to  you.  It  is  about  a  party, 
and  it  is  named,  *  The  Two  Dogs.'  " 

* '  *  One  day  two  dogs  went  to  a  farmer's 
to  visit  some  other  dogs  that  were  giving 
a  tea-party.  They  were  not  invited  to  it. 
The  dogs  that  were  giving  it  made  a  row 
because  they  invited  themselves.  At  the 
table,  the  host  upset  a  glass  of  water  he 
was  so  furious.  Then  he  said,  "Bad  dogs, 
get  you  out.  You  shall  never  put  your 
foot  in  this  feasting  yard  again.' 


»»  >  » » 


THE  PARTY 


107 


•'  That  is  a  very  good  fable,  Brother," 
said  grandfather.  "  Give  it  to  mamma 
and  ask  her  to  put  it  away  for  you,  so  that 
you  can  read  it  when  jou  are  a  big  boy. 
it  has  a  very  good  moral." 

''Yes  I  think  any  dog  that  has  that 
read  to  h.m.  won't  go  to  a  tea-party  un- 
less he  is  invited.  I'll  get  mamma  to 
read  it  to  Bingo." 


